


Cold To The Touch, Hot On The Inside

by MissLii



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Car Accidents, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Personal Assistant Louis, Slow Build, Solo Artist Liam, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-26
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-14 19:29:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 30,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3422876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissLii/pseuds/MissLii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis is a bit desperate. He won't be able to pay his rent next month if he can't keep a job for more than a few weeks. Sometimes less than that.</p><p>The depressing bit is that his flat is shit. He’d rather live somewhere that's not the size of a shoebox. He's a mess, and keeping things in order in his flat is impossible.</p><p>It's not his fault that he gets fired, again and again. If a customer is rude to him, why shouldn't he tell them to fuck off?</p><p>Because of the situation, he can't say no to the job his uncle Simon has offered him. Louis knows it will end in a disaster. How could it not? Louis is like he is and Liam Payne has got a reputation for being high maintenance. Or, as Louis likes to put it, he's an annoying prat who thinks way too highly of himself.</p><p> </p><p>  <em> Or: Liam as a successful solo artist, and Louis as his rather awful PA. Also, lots of tea and people realising how wrong they've been.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold To The Touch, Hot On The Inside

**Author's Note:**

  * For [harriet_vane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/harriet_vane/gifts).



> The lovely harriet_vane wanted someone to write a fic about Liam as a fussy and high maintenance solo artist Liam, and Louis as his rather terrible PA. Then this happened! 
> 
> (See the endnotes for information about possible triggers when it comes to description of a car accident. It's all very vague but if you for any reason feel uncomfortable with it, you'll find more information there.)
> 
> Thanks to missberrycakes for beta reading and brit-picking. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.  
> Title from Fall Out Boy's Hot To The Touch, Cold On The Inside, just because.

Louis is a bit desperate. He won't be able to pay his rent next month if he can't keep a job for more than a few weeks. Sometimes less than that.

 

The depressing bit is that his flat is shit. He’d rather live somewhere that's not the size of a shoebox. He's a mess, and keeping things in order in his flat is impossible.

 

It's not his fault that he gets fired, again and again. If a customer is rude to him, why shouldn't he tell them to fuck off?

 

Because of this situation, he can't say no to the job his uncle Simon has offered him. Louis knows it will end in a disaster. How could it not? Louis is like he is and Liam Payne has got a reputation for being high maintenance. Or, as Louis likes to put it, he's an annoying prat who thinks way too highly of himself.

 

Louis can't stand people who think that they are better than him, just because they have a career or are famous. No matter how talented or lovely to look at they may be.

 

And that’s why Louis takes longer getting ready than usual. Drinking his tea so slowly it has gone cold when he takes the last sip. Getting dressed, only to take his t-shirt off and pick another one. Not because he wants to look good for Liam, absolutely not, he just needs something to do.

 

He knows he's being stupid. He really needs this job, he shouldn’t act like the world is ending (even though it sort of feels like it).

 

As he locks his door, Louis gets this sudden urge just to go back inside, get himself another cup of tea and just ignore Simon for the rest of his life. Though that would be impossible and he would be back in Doncaster living with his mum within a month. Louis loves his mum, but he can't move back there, he's twenty-three and should be a proper adult by now.

 

He's not doing all that well, if he's totally honest, but he's not going to tell his mum about that. She doesn’t need to know that he lives on takeaway, or about every stupid decision he's made that has cost him his job – repeatedly – and at one point both his jacket and wallet as well. He didn’t have any cash on him that time, luckily.

 

His mum worries more about him than she should, as it is.

 

– – –

 

First he’s going to meet Liam, just for a short introduction. Then he will meet up with the people working around Liam and get information about technical, boring stuff.

 

Louis is late. Of course he is, it’s not like he tried to be on time. He’s sure he’ll get fired from his new job as a personal assistant to Liam Payne, the boy wonder of British pop music anyway. It doesn’t matter if he’s there later than he should be, he’s sure Liam will do something to make him mad. When he does, Louis will say something he shouldn’t – he can’t stop himself, doesn’t even want to – and that will be that.

 

He’ll be back to being a nobody without a job, but at least he won’t have to deal with a celebrity with a too big ego.

 

Louis watched The X Factor when Liam was a contestant, and he might have cheered for him. The way he sings still gives Louis the chills. It wasn’t long after Liam started to get successful that the rumours started spreading. Louis tries to avoid the tabloids like the plague, but Liam has got quite a reputation. It’s hard to avoid knowing about it.

 

He’s heard stories from Simon first hand, too.

 

Louis isn’t sure how many personal assistants Liam has driven away, often crying according to Simon. It’s not that he’s particularly rude, but he’s difficult to deal with, high maintenance and fussy about things that don’t really matter. Louis can’t understand how someone so lucky can still be so bloody miserable.

 

Nobody who worked for him ever talked publicly about it – probably because of the very detailed contracts Simon makes everyone sign – but that didn’t stop people from talking.

 

When Simon decided that Louis would be a great choice for the position, he thought Simon had lost his mind. Simon wasn’t too happy when Louis laughed at him.

 

He’s definitely not laughing right now.

 

Even if he’s late for their first meeting, there’s no reason for Liam Payne to look at him as he’s something the cat dragged in. At first, when Louis walked into the room, Liam had blinked at him in a slow, confused way. Then when he seemed to realise who Louis was, he grew stiff and uncomfortable.

 

Louis didn’t get dressed up for him; he’s got on a loose fitting tank top and a pair of jeans. Still, Liam staring at him instead of taking Louis’ hand is just plain rude. He didn’t think Liam was supposed to be rude, but maybe he was wrong about that too.

 

It seems like he's wrong about a lot of things.

 

Liam’s unfairly gorgeous, not that Louis notices. He really doesn’t notice how lovely his eyes are, or how the muscles in his arms make his shirt strain.

 

“Well,” Louis huffs. “I’m your new personal assistant, and it’s really lovely to meet you. ”

 

Liam refuses to even look Louis in the eyes. “You’re late.”

 

“Yeah, there was,” Louis says slowly, breaking off to think of a good reason for being late. It’s not like he can tell Liam that he doesn’t even want the job. He should have thought of something earlier.

 

“You should dress better,” Liam says, instead of waiting for Louis to come up with a lie.

 

“What?” Louis asks, baffled.

 

“You can’t dress like that,” Liam repeats, one thick eyebrow raised and those lovely arms crossed over his chest. “You need to wear something that could represent me, something nice. My last PA wore suits.”

 

“Well, you’re last PA isn't here.” Louis forces a fake smile on his lips. “You’ve got me now, and I dress like this. So I guess you have to deal with it.”

 

“You can't be serious?"

 

Louis wants to turn on his heel and just walk out of this fancy office building. He has to bite the inside of his cheek hard, just to keep all the things he wants to say to Liam inside his own head. He knows Simon said that Liam hadn’t had much to say when it came to getting a new PA, but he’s pretty sure Liam can get him fired either way.

 

"I’m going to do a lot of things for you, I reckon. I don’t think it’ll matter if I wear a bloody suit when I do," says Louis. "But I think I've got some place else to be, and I'm late as you pointed out, so I think I should go there. Now."

 

– – –

 

After his rather unsuccessful first meeting with Liam bloody Payne, he meets up with Simon’s assistant. Just to get a better idea about what’s expected of him, and how he’s going to do all of it.

 

Louis has now got a calendar to keep track of where Liam should be. All the bloody time. No, he’s got two, one in his mobile and a regular one with papers in it. Louis wonders who even uses that kind these days.

 

There are sticky little notes all over the thing, too. Words scribbled over all of them, with information how Liam likes his tea (with an awful amount of sugar), how many hours he spends in the gym, and loads of other things. The handwriting is only getting more and more messy the further back in the book he looks.

 

Louis takes them out, one after another. He’s not going to care about what kind of cereal Liam wants when he’s feeling sick. He can at least try to keep track of Liam's meetings and interviews, but he’s not going to be a babysitter.

 

– – –

 

Louis hates getting up early – hates it with passion – but it’s a part of his new job, and Simon called to tell him that he better try to act professionally. Apparently that didn't include being late when meeting Liam, being rude, or refusing to do things for Liam.

 

He never thought taking care of a bloody pop star would mean getting up so fucking early, but here he is, waiting outside Liam's flat for Liam to come out. They are supposed to go over Liam’s schedule when he’s at the gym.

 

At least he doesn’t have to drive Liam around since he’s got a chauffeur for that.

 

He wonders if he could get away with closing his eyes, just for a short nap, while he waits. He probably could, he reasons with himself. What Liam doesn’t know will not hurt him – or Louis – but just as he has settled down comfortably, the door is opened.

 

Louis sits up straight and pulls at his t-shirt, just to make sure it’s not bunched up after he slouched down in the seat. Liam can fuck off with his idea about Lous wearing a suit. He would look like a bloody wanker with one when he’s following Liam around.

 

Not that he owns a suit.

 

The first words out of Liam’s mouth isn’t good morning or something else a normal human being would say. No, instead Liam looks at Louis’ empty hands and asks, “Where is my tea?”

 

“Your tea?” Louis asks, not sure why he’s expected to know that. If Liam left his tea somewhere inside his posh flat – it must be posh, Louis would bet his own flat on it, not that it’s worth much – how should he know where he left it.

 

“Yeah,” Liam says slowly. “You’re supposed to get me tea.”

 

“You’re loaded right?” Louis asks, forgetting about not saying anything unprofessional. “I would have thought you had at least enough to buy yourself a bloody kettle.”

 

Liam blinks at him, mouth hanging open comically.

 

“What?” Louis asks with a sugary sweet voice.

 

“Haven’t you read your job description at all?” Liam asks, sounding snappy.

 

Louis just shrugs and looks away from Liam’s face, staring out of the window instead. He did read the contract, basically it said that he should make sure to get Liam wherever he’s supposed to be. To keep him happy by getting Liam the things he wants, which might mean he should have got Liam the tea. Not matter how ridiculous he finds it that a grown man can’t put a kettle on.

 

Also, he isn’t allowed to have anything but a strictly professional relationship with him.

 

It’s a mystery to Louis why they even need to add that last part to the contract. Not matter how fit Liam is – according to Louis’ sisters, it’s not _his_ opinion – he’s fucking awful to be around. Anyone willing to get involved with Liam, after having met him, must be mad.

 

– – –

 

Being at the gym with Liam sucks, there’s no other way to put it. The only thing that could make things worse would be Liam telling him to wipe his sweaty back for him.

 

So far he’s watched Liam work out for more than an hour, and Liam keeps going on and on about what he wants Louis to do. How he’s expecting his tea, which coffee shop he wants it from, what kind of flowers he wants Louis to buy when needed, why he should ever buy flowers. Louis still doesn’t get

 

Louis keeps staring at the open calendar in his hands, nodding along to Liam’s every word to make sure he doesn’t get told off. He keeps writing things down, for the same reason. So far he’s written down almost every curse word he knows and nothing of what Liam has said.

 

There’s also some crude doodles, but they are very telling of how he feels for Liam.

 

“I thought you would know this,” Liam says, when he’s finished telling Louis where to leave his dog when he’s getting groomed. “Your lot usually does.”

 

There’s not one person who wants to work with you in the business, Louis almost blurts out. He catches himself in the last minute and says, “I promise to do my best to learn, Liam.”

 

Liam doesn’t look like he believes a word that comes out of Louis’ mouth, which might be because of how insincere it comes out. He doesn’t say anything about it, just shakes his head as if Louis is the one there’s something wrong with.

 

– – –-

 

Louis has survived three whole days in the company of Liam, sometimes even having to run after Liam when he huffs and storms out of a room. Which happens at least once a day, since Louis seems to make Liam as angry as Liam makes him.

 

Louis maybe should be glad that they agree on something, even if it’s how much they hate each other.

 

Louis is at a bar with his best mate Niall, who might be one of the most fun and carefree people Louis knows. If only he could be a PA for someone like Niall, that surely would be less stressful. He’s on his second beer for the night, and he wishes he could stop talking about Liam.

 

Niall just laughs harder every time he as much as mentions Liam, which might be a lot since he’s so fucking annoying that Louis can’t even stop thinking about him when he’s not working.

 

Louis doesn’t find it as funny as Niall does.

 

“For fuck’s sake, Niall,” Louis mutters as he tries to get the bartender's attention. He needs another beer, if he drinks enough he might forget about Liam. “You wouldn’t like him either.”

 

“He can’t be _that_ bad,” says Niall. “I mean, he is rather lovely to look at. I wish I could say the same about my boss.”

 

“Niall, your boss is over sixty and has a habit of forgetting to put trousers on before going to work.” Louis laughs when Niall shudders and looks a bit nauseous. He waits for Niall to take a sip of beer.Then he adds, “I would still rather fuck him than Liam.”

 

Niall chokes on his beer, just managing not to spit on himself or the counter. Once he’s calmed down, he gives Louis a betrayed look, mumbling, “That’s just wrong, mate.”

 

Louis just laughs, ignoring the need to start talking more about how horrible Liam is. He can’t believe Niall could think that he would find Liam fit.

 

– – –

 

Louis might have got a little bit too drunk the night before. He’s hungover and even more tired than usual, and for some godforsaken reason he’s expected to work on a Saturday. The whole day, not just the one or two hours when Liam has the interviews Louis thinks he supposed to be at later that afternoon.

 

Louis should probably double check to see if he’s right about that.

 

When Liam gets into the car, he almost looks relaxed and happy for once. Louis hands Liam the tea he so badly wants, wishing more than anything that he could drink it himself. Maybe even more than being back in bed.

 

“Louis,” Liam greets him, sounding far more happy to be up than Louis is.There is even a hint of a smile on his face, as if Louis did something right for the once. When he takes a sip, he splutters and look utterly disgusted. “What is _this_?”

 

“Tea?” Louis asks, wondering if it’s some kind of a trick question.

 

“It tastes awful,” Liam mutters. “There’s something wrong with it.”

 

“Let me have it,” says Louis, ignoring Liam’s protest when he plucks the mug from Liam’s hand and drinks from it. He expects it to taste weird, but it’s a perfectly lovely cup of tea. “It tastes fine to me?”

 

Liam is still staring at the tea in Louis’ hand. “How many sugars?”

 

“Oh,” Louis mumbles, realising why Liam’s not pleased with it. He forgot about the ridiculous amount of sugar Liam takes in his tea. “Well, you shouldn’t drink it like that. You’re destroying your tea. That can’t be alright.”

 

“You’re by far the worst assistant I’ve ever had,” Liam complains, trying to take his tea back from Louis, but Liam can forget about that. If he thinks that he can insult the tea by calling it awful when it’s lovely and insult Louis, too, then he’s wrong.

 

Just wrong.

 

“I might be the worst, but nobody else wants to be near you. Even less work for you,” Louis says, slowly as if he’s talking to a child. He takes another sip from the tea, arching his eyebrow high, daring Liam to try to take it away from him again.

 

“What?”

 

“You haven’t wondered why all your personal assistants have stopped working for you within three months. Most often way before that?” Louis asks, confused by the weird look frozen on Liam’s face.

 

“I’ve got no idea,” Liam starts, but he breaks off into a sigh. He rubs his temple as if Louis is the one who makes things difficult for him. “I just want you to do your _job_.”

 

Louis thinks that he’s probably said too much already, so he doesn’t try to explain to Liam that it’s not the job itself that’s annoying. It’s Liam’s fussiness about small things like tea and his inability to take a joke that make things almost unbearable for Louis.

 

– – –

 

When Louis gets home to his quiet, empty flat he tosses his keys on the table, wincing when the sound makes his head hurt. He’s so tired he thinks he’s going to pass out before he even gets to his bed.

 

The rest of the time he spent with Liam was dreadful. Louis’ headache was almost killing him and the annoying music at the gym combined with Liam’s weights making too much noise, did nothing to make it any better.

 

On top of _that_ , it might have been his fault that Liam was late for his first interview. To his defence, it was the right _time_ , even if it wasn’t the right address. The strange part about it was that Liam didn’t complain when they found out they were at the wrong part of town, just sighed and made sure they got to the right place himself.

 

Most of all he’s confused, though. He would have thought that Liam would fire him, or at least yell at him for making that sort of comment about Liam. He did make a mess of his job, too.

 

– – –

 

When Louis wakes up the next day, he’s determined to do things right. Being Liam’s PA might not be his dream job but it's something, not that Louis knows what he wants to do. Well, he does know, but that isn’t an option for him.

 

The paycheck is better than all of those he got at the last five places he worked, too. It will pay his bills, and that’s something he wants desperately to be able to do.

 

He makes sure he gets the right kind of tea, from the right place, and he even makes sure the amount of sugar is right. To make up for yesterday, he even buys one of those large muffins with blueberry and white chocolate.

 

Louis isn’t sure Liam likes those, there’s nothing in his notes about it. Luckily, he hadn't emptied his trash, so he went through all the of them in hope of finding something useful.

 

He spent a lot of time the night before trying to learn something that will make sure he doesn’t lose his job.

 

If Liam doesn’t like it, at least he tried. Maybe Liam will appreciate it anyway and let him keep his job for another week.

 

He’s tense, and it feels almost like he’s waiting for a date who might or might not like him. Not that he thinks about Liam that way, it’s just that it feels the same; worry and nerves mixed together.

 

When Liam gets into the car, he looks the same as the night before Louis left him. He’s barely looking at Louis or the tea in his hands. It’s like he’s trying to be as small as possible in his corner, almost trying to hide.

 

“I think I managed to get your tea right today, even brought you a muffin. Might not be the worst PA you’ve ever had,” Louis tries to joke. It falls flat though, when Liam doesn’t laugh.

 

“You bought me a muffin?” Liam asks, and the awful puppy-like sadness on his face is replaced by open confusion.

 

“Well, things didn’t go all that smoothly yesterday,” Louis tries to explain.

 

“But you said I’m horrible to work for,” Liam mumbles, still avoiding to look at Louis. He’s fidgeting with his hands but doesn’t take the cup of tea Louis is holding out to him.

 

“You don’t want it?” Louis wonders if he made the wrong choice. Maybe he should have bought Liam something healthy, he’s rather keen on keeping fit, after all.

 

“If you don’t mind,” Liam says carefully, looking at bit like he thinks that Louis will take it away and laugh at him when he does.

 

Liam eats his muffin in silence, but he keeps looking over at Louis. It’s a bit of a mess with the muffin, and Liam has got crumbs at the corner of his mouth when he’s done.

 

Louis doesn’t tell him that, though. Which might make him a bad PA, even with the whole him buying Liam a muffin thing. It’s just that Liam looks more human that way.

 

Liam goes back to fidgeting when he’s done eating, restless again when his hands aren’t occupied with something. He opens his mouth a couple of times; like he wants to say something, but he always closes it without saying anything at all.

 

Louis thinks that Liam might be blushing, his cheeks are suspiciously pink. When they are almost at the location for the meeting Liam’s supposed to be at, and Liam still hasn’t said anything, Louis asks, “What is it?”

 

“I made my own tea this morning, and I might have made a mess of if,” Liam mumbles, and he’s definitely blushing now.

 

“You made a mess when making tea?” Louis asks, wondering how that’s even possible.

 

Liam shrugs, like he doesn’t know either.

 

– – –

 

It’s been two weeks since he started working for Liam and it hasn’t been easy. Sometimes Louis thinks Liam isn’t as horrible as Louis was sure he would be, but then he proves again and again that he’s nothing but a pain in the arse.

 

The strange thing is that there is nobody Liam seems to be relaxed around. He’s always tense and on the edge, getting snappy and upset as soon as something doesn’t go exactly the way it should.

 

Today Louis has the honour of taking Liam’s dog Loki to the groomer, which means he isn’t following Liam around for once. It’s weird, opening the door to Liam’s big flat when he isn’t there. It feels a bit like he’s snooping or intruding somewhere Liam doesn’t want him.

 

When he gets just inside the door, he comes to a sudden stop. He thought he would be prepared for the kind of luxury Liam can afford. He wasn’t, because he stands there, staring into the big, open flat. It’s posh, just like he thought it would be. Everything seems new and expensive, the furniture and the interior looking like something from a fancy magazine.

 

Loki is sniffing his leg, and Louis bends down to say hello. He’s there for the dog, not to get a better look at Liam’s private life.

 

He knows he should just take Loki and walk out of there, but he can’t stop himself from taking off his shoes – not wanting Liam to know that he did snoop around – and starts to look around. The flat seems almost cold, like there isn’t anyone who is living there, nothing personal about it.

 

The bathroom is the same size as Louis’ entire flat, but nothing about it feels like a home.

 

There are no pictures of friends on the walls or anything personal lying around. Like the tickets to different concerts Louis have, or the paintings his little sisters have made him.

 

It’s not until he gets to Liam’s bedroom he finds pictures of what he assumes is Liam’s family, and he stands there staring at them way for too long. It’s just that Liam looks so happy in them; in one he’s hugging a woman who must be his mum, smiling big.

 

It’s like it’s a totally different person, not anything like the difficult person Louis has met. Louis isn’t sure what to do with that.

 

– – –

 

Loki is ridiculously cute, and Louis takes a little bit too long to drop him off when they are done at the groomers. Which means he’s sitting on his arse, scratching Loki behind the ears when Liam walks into the flat.

 

Liam can’t have noticed Louis being there yet, his focus still on his phone when he walks into the living room, because he says, “Where is my cute little boy?”, with a voice so sweet Louis almost melts.

 

Louis feels frozen and, even though Loki runs off to greet Liam, he stays where he is. Knowing that he’s not supposed to be there, it feels like he’s been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

 

“Oh.” Liam looks startled when he finally notices Louis. “I didn’t think you would be here?”

 

“I’m not,” Louis blurts out.

 

“You’re not here?” Liam asks, his eyes shining with something Louis doesn’t recognise.

 

He thinks it could be delight or even humour.

 

Louis stares at Liam, wondering if he heard right. Did Liam make a joke, admittedly a bad one, but still, instead of scolding him? He’s too quiet probably, not laughing when he should – not even answering at all – because Liam gets tense and starts to look around the room, avoiding looking at Louis.

 

“Fuck,” Liam mutters, “I didn’t mean to say that. I meant, what are you doing here?”

 

“I’m… I don’t know,” Louis answers, starting to get up from the floor. He knows he should try to explain himself, but most of all he wants to make Liam look like he did before.

 

Instead of either of them saying anything, they stand there and wait for the other one to start. Loki runs around their legs, wanting attention, but both of them are busy trying to work out what to say to each other.

 

“Thank you for taking Loki to the groomer,” says Liam, after a long, awkward silence.

 

“It’s my job,” Louis answers. It is his job, he might not be the best PA, not when it comes to being punctual or remembering stuff, but he manages to do some things right.

 

Sometimes, he does.

 

“Still.” Liam looks like he wants to say something else. Louis knows that look, and he’s afraid of having overstepped his boundaries, so he waves at Liam and walks out the door.

 

It’s not until he’s out of there and halfway to his flat that he realises that Liam might have wanted to ask him for something. He probably should have asked what Liam wanted.

 

That’s what a good PA would have done, Louis thinks.

 

– – –

 

Louis has come to realise that Liam might not be all that bad.

 

At least not when Liam allows himself to relax, which rarely happens. Liam always seems keen on trying his best to please everyone around him by being the best he can, by doing as many interviews as he can, working a horrible amount of hours, and working out more in a week than Louis does in a month. Much more than that. Then sometimes when it’s just the two of them, Liam actually smiles in a way that makes his eyes crinkle and squeeze shut.

 

He does seem lonely, though.

 

Louis might have tried to get some information from those dreadful pages in the papers, and on some equally awful blogs. Just to try to understand who he’s working with. He finds lots of pictures of Liam being drunk in different clubs, always with people surrounding him.

 

It’s rarely the same people, and Louis has never seen anyone of them with Liam.

 

– – –

 

It’s not only his personal assistants Liam has driven away with his need for everything to be _perfect_. Apparently his last stylist just walked out one day and refused to come back, no matter what his contract said.

 

Louis is with Liam when he meets up with his new stylist Zayn. There’s an award show later that week, and Liam needs to look good. Nothing he owns is good enough, at least according to Liam.

 

Louis isn’t sure this Zayn bloke really is a stylist. Maybe he is a model, just trying to get close to Liam. He does look too perfect with his high cheekbones and long eyelashes, to be anything but a model.

 

Louis watches them in the corner of his eye, pretending to look through his calendar on his phone.

 

“Think you would look good in this black suit I’ve picked out for you,” Zayn mumbles, sounding distracted. He’s touching Liam all over, which might be because of him taking measurements but Louis still wonders.

 

“You think? I’ve got, like, ten black suits already. Do I really need one more?”

 

“The jacket is in velvet. It’s lovely,” Zayn explains. He pats Liam’s arm softly and smiles at him, looking like he’s got no idea about Liam’s reputation.

 

Maybe he hasn’t, Louis realises. He’s not sure if that would make things better or worse, though.

 

“If you say so.” Liam sounds much more agreeable than Louis was expecting.

 

Zayn just nods, turning Liam around until he can measure his broad shoulders.

 

– – –

 

He’s got some sort of routine in, when it comes to taking care of Liam. It’s been a month, and he’s not the worlds worst PA like he used to be. Not the best either, but at least no the worst.

 

Most days, he remembers to get Liam tea. Some days he even manages to sort out where Liam is supposed to be and when. If he's totally honest, Liam probably has better control of it than he does.

 

His favourite days are those when he’s supposed to leave Loki at Liam’s flat. Not because he’s allowed a few hours away from Liam, but because Liam always seems nicer, more approachable when he gets back.

 

Louis likes the way he smiles when he sees Loki curled up in Louis’ lap. It’s nothing like the kind of smile he wears in front of a camera or a crowd.

 

“Hi.” Liam puts down the bags he’s carrying to pat Loki on the head.

 

Whatever it’s in those bags, it smells lovely. Louis’ stomach rumbles, having forgotten to eat earlier. He really needs to get home, hopefully the leftovers from the pizza he brought a few days ago will be edible.

 

Louis gently pushes Loki off his lap. “I should go.”

 

“Oh,” Liam says, giving Louis a look that is very much like the one on Loki’s face. Only the pout on his lips separating him from his dog. “I thought you maybe could stay. I might have got too much for me to eat alone.”

 

“Well,” Louis tries to think of a reason to say no. Except that he doesn’t like Liam. Not one tiny bit. “The pizza in my fridge probably doesn’t taste as good as whatever it is that you’ve got.”

 

Liam smiles like Louis just told him he’s won on the lottery. “I hope you don’t mind that it’s spicy.”

 

“No, no,” mumbles Louis, confused by Liam’s reaction. He gets even more confused when he sees how much food Liam brought home with him, he must have planned on asking Louis to stay.

 

Nobody – no matter how rich – would by that much food for themselves.

 

They don’t talk much when they eat, but it’s nice, with the telly on in the background and Loki curled up between them on the sofa.

 

“ I should go. Probably,” says Louis, his body tired and soft as he gets up from the sofa. He puts his hands over his head, yawning as he stretches.

 

Liam gets up, too. Awkwardly, he stuffs his hands down the pockets of his rather tight jeans. It’s like he’s not sure what to do with his hands. He won’t quite look at Louis as he says, “I hope you didn’t mind staying for a bit, I’ll make sure you get paid for your time.”

 

“You can’t _pay_ me when I’m eating the food you’ve paid for,” says Louis, baffled that Liam would even suggest such a thing.

 

Liam looks confused. “I can’t?”

 

“No, you can’t,” Louis decides.

 

“Okay,” Liam agrees.

 

When Louis gets home, his flat seems even more boring than usual. At least he’s not hungry, and he even managed not to get into a fight with Liam for the whole day.

 

– – –

 

Louis is running errands, picking up things from all over town for Liam. He’s only got one more thing to get, a jacket from Zayn, and then he’s done.

 

Within his time plan, for the first time.

 

He’s waiting for Zayn to pick out what he wants Liam to wear. He knows Liam’s met up with Zayn a couple of times without him and he wonders how that’s going. Louis is used to people complaining about Liam, and Zayn hasn’t said a bad word about him. He can’t help to ask, “So, what do you think of him?”

 

“Who?” Zayn asks, almost half of him inside the wardrobe.

 

“Liam, of course,” Louis says. “Do you find him hard to work with? He can be a bit difficult. Well, more than a bit.”

 

Zayn's head pops out of the wardrobe and he stands there with a dark green jacket hanging forgotten in his hand, staring at Louis. His eyes seem sharper when he looks at Louis, the softness in him gone just like that. “You shouldn’t talk shit about him. It’s not like he’s had it easy.”

 

“What?” Louis asks, not understanding what Zayn’s talking about at all. “He’s spoiled rotten that one, everyone takes care of his every little need. His flat is ridiculous, too.”

 

“None of that means he’s had it easy,” Zayn says. “Maybe you should talk to him instead of just listening to what people think of him.”

 

“He’s been a shit to me,” Louis defends himself. “It’s not like I’ve judged him from what I’ve heard.”

 

“Fuck, I’m sorry.” Zayn shakes his head, with a small smile on his lips. “I can get a bit defensive about people I like.”

 

“You _like_ him,” Louis says slowly, wondering if he was right the first time, about Zayn wanting Liam.

 

“Not like that,” Zayn laughs. “I’ve got no interest in fucking Liam. I do like him as a friend, though.”

 

“Why not? He’s well fit,” Louis blurts out, blushing when realising what he said.

 

Zayn starts to laugh harder, and at that moment; he reminds Louis awfully much about Niall. Always laughing at Louis when he’s in pain. Such a little shit that one. Not that Louis doesn’t love him like a brother.

 

“I don’t find him attractive,” Louis defends himself, when Zayn laughs trails off into small giggles. “And even if I did, I would never. I’m his PA, it wouldn’t work.”

 

“Sure,” Zayn agrees. “You want to look at this awesome collection I’ve got for him. I think he’ll look better than ever.” He wiggles his eyebrows at Louis, starting to giggle again.

 

He’s not on time when he gets back from Zayn’s messy workplace.

 

– – –

 

It’s not a good day.

 

Liam’s been unusually fussy and keeps getting upset by the smallest of things. It’s not like it’s Louis fault that he didn’t get information about where he was supposed to be after the first interview.

 

Well, it might be, but he didn’t _mean_ to forget about it.

 

“Liam, we should get out of here.” Louis keeps his voice low to make sure nobody around them notices what he’s planning. It doesn’t feel like a good idea to let Liam get questioned about all his life choices by a nosy journalist when he’s so on the edge.

 

“What? But, we can’t do that,” says Liam, way too loudly.

 

“Shh, I was thinking we should do something else,” Louis mumbles. “Something fun. Whatever you want.”

 

“But I have an interview,” says Liam, sounding unsure.

 

Louis rolls his eyes and says, “You’ve interviews all the fucking time. They all know everything about you anyway. Let’s just skip it today.”

 

“I don’t know. Wouldn’t that be wrong?”

 

“It would be wrong staying here. Please, come with me,” Louis pleads. He nudges Liam with his elbow and bats his eyelashes excessively.

 

“Fine,” Liam agrees, looking like he’s about to change his mind at any second.

 

Louis wants to whoop loudly, pleased that he got his way the first time ever when it comes to Liam, but that would be bloody stupid if they are going to sneak out. Instead, he puts his finger over his lips, raises an eyebrow at Liam and tilts his head towards the door.

 

He can’t be too careful.

 

They end up renting a pair of bikes, both of them having turned off their phones – Liam only after much pleading from Louis. It’s really nice, even though Louis knows he’ll get a talking to from Simon when he finds out about it.

 

Liam laughs openly when he and Louis almost crash into each other, both of them looking at the same funny-looking dog instead of at the road. It’s the most carefree Louis has ever seen him.

 

He wants to pat himself on the back, knowing that it was his brilliant idea that made Liam lose that awful look on his face.

 

– – –

 

The day after his and Liam’s bike ride, he gets a call from Niall in the middle of the day. Liam’s in the studio and Louis takes the opportunity to answer.

 

“You know I’m working.” He stares at Liam through the glass to make sure he doesn’t notice Louis slacking at work. Liam has been behaving less like a total idiot, but it doesn’t hurt to be careful around him.

 

“Have you seen the papers?” Niall asks, his voice filled with glee.

 

“No, should I have?” Louis asks, wondering what’s important enough in the papers to make Niall call him when he should be at work, too.

 

“I heard that you are Liam Payne’s new boyfriend.” Niall drags the word boyfriend out, sounding like he’s about to start laughing in Louis’ ear at any moment.

 

“What?” Louis asks. “Niall you’re not making any sense. Who would be daft enough to think I would ever date him?”

 

“The papers do, got some lovely pictures of the two of you. And I have to agree, the two of you’re dead cute together,” Niall snickers.

 

“If everything that they wrote about him was true, he would have dated half of London’s population by now. And so far I haven’t met one person he could possibly be dating,” Louis counters, having wondered about the lack of people around Liam more than one time.

 

It’s possible that not everything he’s heard about Liam’s correct.

 

“Might be because he wants to date you,” Niall suggests.

 

“That’s absurd. Not that I’m not awesome, but he doesn’t want to date me,” Louis laughs. “I would have noticed.” He would have, is the thing. Louis prides himself on being good at that sort of thing. “And talking about noticing, I should go before he notices that I’m not sorting out his travel plans for the weekend.”

 

He’s not proud of it, but he googles Liam’s name when he’s done with Niall. The pictures turn out to be far worse than he thought; they do look like a couple, both of them smiling and happy. They must have been taken after they saw that terribly ugly dog.

 

He’s lucky if his mother doesn’t call and wants to meet Liam.

 

“Oh,” Liam says, making Louis almost jump out of his skin, instinctively wanting to hide his phone. “I’ve wondered why they hadn’t written anything about you. Well, about me being near you,” Liam corrects himself. “You’ve been around me for ages now.”

 

It doesn’t look like it bothers Liam, he just shrugs and smiles at Louis. It must have been a good session because he seems happier than Louis ever has seen him.

 

It sounded good to him, but he’s not a professional musician, so that might just be him being awed by Liam’s flawless falsetto.

 

“You’re saying I’m not interesting enough?” Louis asks, teasingly.

 

“I didn’t... I only meant that you’re not famous or anything,” Liam defends himself, looking a lot less relaxed at once.

 

Louis wonders if _any_ of Liam’s friends had ever teased him, it feels like Liam thinks that Louis is messing with him for real.

 

 _Not_ that he is one of Liam’s friends.

 

“Fuck’s sake, Liam. Can’t you take a joke like a normal human being,” Louis mutters, regretting the words as soon as the words are out of his mouth. “I mean, I was only joking. Bloody hell, why would they write about me. I’m not special. Not like you are, with your voice and everything.” He shuts his mouth abruptly because it’s only getting worse the longer he goes on. Soon, he probably tell Liam that he wants to marry him or something as equally stupid.

 

“I only came out here to tell you that we’re done for the day.” Liam ignores Louis’ outburst, but his cheeks are pink and he’s starting to smile a little again.

 

“So, back home then?” Louis asks.

 

“Shouldn’t you know?” Liam looks more mischievous than Louis has ever seen him. He even winks at Louis. Though he uses both of his eyes, so it’s a rather unsuccessfully executed one. “It’s your job, after all.”

 

Louis lets out a startled laugh, wanting to hit himself in the face for laughing at such a bad joke. If it weren’t for the wink and the proud grin on Liam’s face, Louis would never even have realised that it was a joke.

 

– – –

 

Louis is at a party with Liam. The host is someone who looks mildly familiar to Louis, but Liam has never mentioned him before so he can’t place him.

 

Louis _had_ to go for some reason he can’t understand, Liam specifically told him so. He was confused then but couldn’t say no when Liam pouted at him. Now that he’s there, he’s got even less idea why since it’s a private party.

 

It turns out Liam’s a giggly drunk, who keeps hugging everyone he meets. He’s pretty unstable on his feet, too. He holds onto Louis’ arm as he tells a very animated – and slurred – story about how cute Loki is.

 

Louis wonders if he should start giving Liam water instead of those fruity drinks he keeps drinking. Louis has been sipping on the same beer, during the time Liam’s had three of his drinks.

 

“Oh,” Liam mumbles, having stopped talking in the middle of his story. “Harry is here. I didn’t know he was back.”

 

“You mean Harry Styles?” Louis asks, remembering that him and Liam were a part of the same season of The X Factor. “I thought he was touring in America.”

 

Liam doesn’t listen to him, only stumbles off to a person that looks an awful lot like Harry Styles, half of his famous messy curls in a bun.

 

Unfortunately, Harry doesn’t notice Liam until it’s too late. When Liam shouts his name, way too close to him, he startles and spills his drink on Liam’s light blue t-shirt.

 

“I’m so, so sorry,” Harry says, even though it all was Liam’s fault.

 

Liam pulls at the wet fabric, wincing from how it’s cold and sticky against his skin. Before Louis can take him aside and maybe gently suggest that they should get out of there, Liam drags his t-shirt off.

 

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Louis groans, not caring one bit that nobody is listening to him. Why would they when the most famous person in the room starts taking off his clothes. He knows he must fix this, it’s his _duty_ as Liam’s personal assistant.

 

He goes to find the bloke he knows own the flat and pays him – with his own money – for one of his shirts. Hopefully, he can report it as an expense and get the money back.

 

He finds it a bit odd that he has to pay one of Liam's friends.

 

When he gets back into the living room, Harry and Liam seem to be bonding. Which is nice, but Louis is still pretty certain he should try to get Liam home.

 

– – –

 

Because of Liam’s pout, he’s at a bar with both Liam and Harry.

 

Harry has been telling a long, rambling story of how he met Liam on The X Factor. It’s mostly stuff Louis has already heard from the media, but then he says, “And remember that one time,” he turns to Liam, grinning. “When we made out in a closet.”

 

“Yeah,” Liam agrees, giggling. “That was nice.”

 

Louis wants to ask why he’s never heard this story before, but then he realises that it’s rather private and maybe not something you tell the press. Which might mean Liam doesn’t want him to know about it. He thinks about asking Liam if he should leave them alone, even if Liam were very keen on him coming along in the first place.

 

Louis doesn’t say anything, Liam usually does tell him whatever he wants. So it must be fine.

 

“I would say it was better than nice, Liam,” Harry teases. “But never mind about that, I think I’ll live even if the great Liam Payne has given me a so and so review.”

 

“Nice is good,” Liam defends himself, sounding earnest.

 

Harry laughs and pushes a few loose strands of hair out of his face.

 

“You’re still friends then?” Louis asks, when both Harry and Liam seem to have forgotten what they were talking about.

 

“Well,” Harry says slowly, giving Liam a pitiful, sad look. “I tried to get in contact with him afterwards, but he never answered my texts. I would have like to be friends with him.”

 

“You wouldn’t have,” mumbles Liam, shrugging. He looks around the room as if he rather look at anything else but Harry.

 

Louis stares at Liam, wondering about the almost mournful look on his face. It’s so awfully sad, he wants to poke and probe at Liam until he smiles again.

 

Louis can’t figure out why Liam is acting so weird suddenly.

 

“Oh.” Liam leans forward so fast he almost falls out of the booth. The sadness on his face is quickly replaced by childful glee. “We should do that.” He turns to Louis, smiling.

 

“What?” Louis asks, confused about the sudden change in Liam’s mood and what he’s talking about.

 

“They’ve got a karaoke machine,” Liam grins.

 

“I don’t know.” Louis is not sure if he wants to sing in front of two professional singers. Not that he thinks that Liam would laugh at him, it’s just that it feels a bit nerve wracking.

 

“Please,” Liam begs, pushing his bottom lip out into a pout.

 

Louis wants to strangle the person who taught Liam that expression. It seems like he can’t say no to Liam when he uses it. He rolls his eyes and sighs, “Fine.”

 

It turns out to be fun, singing karaoke with Liam and Harry. It might be because both Liam and Harry are big flops who laughs as much as they sing, not taking it too seriously. Louis had really forgotten about how much he loves to sing, so he’s more than happy to do another song when Liam demands him to.

 

Once they’re back in their booth, Liam leans forward until he’s almost lying down on the table. He has his chin in his hands and keeps looking up at Louis. He smiles in a way Louis would like to call bashful. After awhile, he says, “You were so, so good. Like, real good.”

 

“You mean Harry was good. Not me,” Louis answers, even though Liam is looking straight at him.

 

Liam shakes his head and mumbles, “No, no. You were. I would like to make out with your voice, think it’s made of angels.”

 

Harry snorts and starts laughing violently. When Louis gives him a look, he wiggles his eyebrows and makes a kissy-face.

 

“Liam, I think you’ve had enough,” Louis says slowly, reaching out to take Liam’s drink from him. He’s not able to because Liam pulls it towards himself.

 

“You might be pretty, but you’re _mean_ ,” Liam mumbles.

 

Louis chooses to believe that it’s the alcohol talking. “Yeah, it’s definitely time to go home.”

 

It takes some convincing, but he manages to get Liam out of there without him making a scene.

 

– – –

 

Liam’s away visiting his parents for the day and Louis has some real alone time for what feels like for the first time in forever.

 

He should probably be at home, cleaning up the mess that is his flat. Instead, he’s at Zayn’s, lying on his back on a purple sofa while Zayn putters around, moving clothes from one pile to another.

 

Zayn has explained the ‘Maybe’ pile and the ‘Yes’ pile to Louis, but Louis has got no idea which one is which.

 

Louis has started to search Liam’s name online regularly, just to make sure he’s not missing anything important. It’s not like Liam tells him things, as he should be since Louis should know everything about him.

 

Liam’s just released a new tune, so there’s plenty written about him. More than usual even.

 

It’s mostly useless, what he reads. Most of the time, he can roll his eyes and laugh about the stupidity. He freezes, however, when he finds an article that belongs in a serious magazine, not anything like The Sun, which is full of bad things about Liam.

 

“They are so fucking dumb,” Louis mutters, as he lobs his phone onto one of the piles. He can’t even look at that thing, it makes him so mad. “Why would anyone say that Liam can’t sing if he’s not being auto-tuned.”

 

Zayn looks up from a purple sweater but he still sounds distracted when he says, “You know that they are talking shit. It’s not like it matters what he does, there are still those who are going to dislike him. Just on principle.”

 

“You’re right,” Louis says, even though he’s still angry with that stupid journalist.

 

“I think you’re starting to like him a bit,” says Zayn, looking thoughtful. He picks up another purple sweater from one pile. “Maybe more than a bit. Very probably even.”

 

If Louis weren't so angry he would ask Zayn what it is with his love for purple. Not that Liam doesn’t look good in it. It takes a few seconds for him to take in Zayn's words. "I don't like him, I work for him."

 

“Sure you don’t,” Zayn laughs.

 

“I really, really don’t.” Louis crosses his arms over his chest as he glares at Zayn. “He’s a pain in my arse.”

 

“I just mean that he maybe isn’t as bad as you thought he was.” Zayn smiles gently. When Louis just scoffs, he continues with, “But I don’t think you should let Liam see that. He thinks too much about what people think of him.”

 

“Yeah, maybe.” Louis stares at the mostly purple pile. He regrets throwing his phone, he wants it, but he’s too lazy to get up from the sofa.

 

“Think about it,” Zayn says.

 

“I promise to think about Liam maybe being an okay human being. If you give me my phone,” Louis counters.

 

“I don’t understand how you can be a PA,” Zayn says when he returns Louis’ phone. “You’re the laziest person in London. Maybe in the whole country.”

 

– – –

 

Louis knew it was something he had forgotten about, but he couldn’t figure out what. Now he knows. It was Liam’s meeting, the one about his new record.

 

The really important one.

 

“Why are you even a personal assistant? I know I should keep track of where I should be since you obviously don’t know anything half the time,” Liam mutters, walking back and forth in his living room. “They’re all going to think I'm irresponsible. I’m not. This is so… I don’t know what to do.”

 

“You know what?” Louis asks, having had enough. Some days, he actually likes Liam, but days like this he can’t even be near him. “I fucking quit. You can take your stupid need for having everything in order and go to hell with it.”

 

“What?” Liam stops moving, only to stare at Louis.

 

“You can find yourself an assistant who won’t fuck up everything for you,” Louis grumbles, starting to collect the things he’s spread out all over Liam’s living room. “I’m sure it’ll be easy since I’m so fucking awful.”

 

He doesn’t let Liam say anything before he walks out of there.

 

– – –

 

Louis hasn’t called Simon yet. He knows he should, but he’s too angry to deal with anyone. Which is why he doesn’t answer when someone knocks on his door.

 

Unfortunately, the person on the other side doesn’t give up.

 

“What?” Louis asks, when opening up. He freezes when he sees Liam standing there, still with his hand raised.

 

“Can I come in?” Liam asks. When Louis doesn’t say anything, he adds, “Please?”

 

Louis takes on step back and lets Liam walk into his flat. He can see how Liam looks around, curiously, and he hates knowing that everything he owns is nothing compared to what Liam has.

 

“This is nice. Cosy,” Liam says, smiling carefully at Louis.

 

Louis laughs bitterly, shaking his head. “This isn’t nice. It’s a fucking mess, Liam.”

 

“No, no,” Liam insists, taking the few steps needed to get to the wall where Louis has photos of him and Niall. He stares at some pictures Louis thinks are from that summer he and Niall met, when they were fourteen. “I mean, this is nice. It’s nothing like my flat.”

 

“Why are you even here, Liam?” Louis questions. “I quit if you don’t remember?”

 

“I don’t want you to do that.” Liam looks so small Louis almost loses his anger. Almost.

 

“I know I’m not a very good personal assistant, Liam,” says Louis. “Maybe I should do something else.”

 

“I don’t _need_ a personal assistant,” Liam stresses, talking over Louis. “I know how to read my own calendar.”

 

Louis feels utterly confused by Liam, as he so often is. “But why do you want me back then?”

 

“You made me feel normal. Like, that’s not something I get to be,” Liam mumbles, taking one step closer to Louis again. The painfully earnest look on his face makes Louis’ anger deflate. “If I promise not to yell, can you come back? Please? I’m really sorry.”

 

“Fine,” Louis sighs. “I’ll come back.”

 

– – –

 

Even though Liam said he could take care of keeping track of his own meeting, Louis has tried his best to not mess up again.

 

But Liam acts weird around him, and it bothers Louis.

 

It’s been more than a week since Louis quit and not once has he asked Louis to stay, having brought too much food. Again. Liam has been acting civil towards him like he’s talking to one of those journalists. He seems so sad about it, though.

 

Liam keeps glancing over at Louis when he doesn’t think Louis will notice.

 

When Liam, once again, just shakes his head when Louis asks if it’s something else he should do, Louis has had enough. “Yeah, I’m done with this.”

 

“What?” Liam asks, his eyes wide and startled as he looks up from his mobile. “You can’t quit. I’ve been acting okay.”

 

“I’m not talking about that,” says Louis. “I mean I’m done with you acting like you do. All tense and shit.”

 

“Oh.” Liam relaxes slightly. Though, he still looks a bit like a deer caught in the headlights. “Well, I thought we should keep things professional.”

 

“This is just boring, Liam,” Louis complains. “I mean, I don’t like it when you are a tosser. But you were sort of alright before. Most days.”

 

“I just don’t want you to quit,” Liam says, looking like he thinks Louis is going to, if he as much as looks at him the wrong way.

 

“Stop thinking so bloody much,” Louis tells him. “Nothing good comes from that.”

 

“I’ll try,” Liam agrees. “I’m good at trying.”

 

– – –

 

Things between them are almost back to normal. Which means lots of takeaway on Liam’s sofa, as Liam tries to explain to Louis how to organise the meetings in his calendar.

 

Louis tries to listen, but Liam’s sofa is too nice. He’d rather just lie there, comfortable and warm as he listens to Liam ramble on.

 

They could do something else, though.

 

“We should do something,” Louis says, cutting Liam off in the middle of a sentence. “You haven’t been doing anything but having bloody meetings and spending time in the studio. You’re too boring to be a bloody pop star, Liam.”

 

“But I’ve got things to do tomorrow.” Liam pushes Louis’ own phone so close to Louis’ face that he actually can’t see _anything_. “We can’t do that.”

 

“Sure we can.” Louis tries to imitate the pout Liam’s used on him many times. It works on him, it might work on Liam, too. “Nobody would know about it.”

 

“What would we even do?”

 

“You don’t have to plan everything. Sometimes things just happens,” Louis says, getting up from the sofa. He holds his hand out to Liam, waiting for him to take it. He’ll literary pull Liam from his spot on the sofa if he has to.

 

Liam takes his hand, looking confused about why. He doesn't move to drag himself up from the sofa, just blinks over at Louis.

 

Louis janks him up, almost toppling over in the process. He really didn't mean to pull that hard; sometimes things just happens.

 

“You could have just asked me to stand,” Liam laughs when Louis nudges him towards the door.

 

“Would you have done what I said?” Louis asks, picking one of Liam’s jackets and shoving it into his hands.

 

“Maybe not,” Liam agrees.

 

– – –

 

Liam has a kebab in his hands and a straw in his hair that Louis put there - not that Liam knows that – when they walk past a flat where someone’s having a party. It's obvious with all the noise and a few rather drunk people who have found themselves outside.

 

Louis gets an idea. A _brilliant_ one.

 

Louis lays a hand on Liam's arm to stop him from walking too far. "We're going to a party.”

 

"We are?" Liam asks. "But I didn't have anything in my calendar about that."

 

"You don't go to a party because it's in a bloody calendar." Louis wonders if Liam never has crashed a party. He can't have, with that worried look on his face.

 

"If you think it's a good idea," Liam says, as Louis starts to pull Liam towards the door.

 

His hand is wrapped firmly around Liam's wrist, when they get inside. He doesn't remember moving it, but Liam's skin is now warm underneath his fingers and Liam's pulse is beating fast and hard as Louis smiles at him.

 

There's a bloke who walks past them that gives them a look, but he just shrugs and pats Liam on the shoulder.

 

"Let's get something to drink," says Louis, abruptly letting go of Liam. Even though Liam didn't seem to mind or even notice him almost holding his hand, it is weird that Louis doesn't mind.

 

A month ago, he would rather have dated Niall's boss than touch Liam like that. Things really have changed between them.

 

Louis shakes himself from his thoughts and goes to find the kitchen. It's usually there you can find the alcohol.

 

Liam follows closely behind him, having put a hand on Louis' shoulder. Probably making sure not to get separated from Louis, with all the drunk people stumbling around.

 

"Ah, here it is." Louis takes two beers from the fridge. He tries to give one to Liam, but he looks doubtful. Louis wiggles the beer in front of Liam and adds, "I promise they won't notice."

 

"It's not that," mumbles Liam, so quietly Louis has to lean into him to hear anything. "I'm not that fond of beer."

 

"Well, I can solve that," Louis laughs, turning around to fridge again. He remembers seeing a bottle with sweet cider, which when he thinks about Liam's tea, would fit Liam's tastes better.

 

Louis is sure the owner to the cider wouldn't mind him taking it, if that person saw Liam's delighted face when Louis gives it to him.

 

"Best PA ever," Louis grins.

 

Liam just smiles and takes a sip of his red cider, the colour quickly staining his pouty bottom lip.

 

It's a good look on him, Louis realises. It makes him want to suck on Liam’s lip, see if he can get it even fuller. Not having thought about Liam like that before, maybe because of how he wanted to strangle him, Louis almost chokes on his own beer.

 

He's seriously attracted to Liam. As in, he wouldn't mind kissing that sugary taste from his lips right there in the kitchen.

 

"Fuck," he mumbles. "Bloody hell."

 

"What?" Liam asks, giving him a smile that feels private. It makes Louis' stomach hurt, with how sweet it is.

 

"Nothing," Louis blurts out. He forces himself to smile back, sure it comes out tense and wrong, but his mind is whirling with thoughts now that he started to think about it.

 

He can't like Liam like that, he isn't even allowed to. His contract says so, and Louis promised himself he was going to try to keep this job.

 

"We should dance," Liam says happily, totally unaware of Louis' inner freakout. "I love this song." Liam bops his head along with the music, almost all of him vibrating with need to move.

 

It's so cute that Louis would be willing to do anything Liam wanted him to, but he still stands there, frozen.

 

When Liam gives him a questioning look, he nods and says, "Fine, I'll dance."

 

They find a tiny group of people dancing in the living room and they squeeze themselves into the mess of flailing limbs.

 

Liam literally shines with happiness as he dances, singing along to whatever song is playing. It's distracting, and Louis has to concentrate on not stopping moving just to stare at Liam instead.

 

It's like Louis can't turn off the thoughts about Liam, now that he's noticed how lovely he is.

 

– – –

 

They are both sweaty and warm, when they leave the party at three am. Because of the wobble in their steps – maybe mostly Liam's – they are walking close together, Louis with his arm around Liam's lower back.

 

Nobody seemed to mind about them being there uninvited, luckily. So the night was a success, at least according to Louis, but he thinks that Liam feels the same way. He must be since he keeps telling Louis how great everything was.

 

"That was fun. So fun, Louis," Liam mumbles, leaning his head on Louis' shoulder. "Nobody ever wants to do anything with me. Just for me, I mean.”

 

“What are you even talking about?” Louis asks, doing his best to hold Liam up. He’s bigger than Louis but seems to think that Louis is perfectly able to carry him home. “You’ve got loads of friends.”

 

“No, I don’t’,” Liam says sadly. He tilts his head towards Louis and he looks a tiny bit happier as he adds, “I’ve got Zayn, I think. He’s nice.”

 

“Zayn is nice,” Louis agrees. The rest of the words coming out of Liam’s mouth he’s got a harder time understanding. Liam has many friends, Louis has seen them in the papers with him.

 

“Harry’s nice, too,” Liam continues, when Louis doesn’t ask the question he wants to most of all.

 

“That’s true.” Louis wonders if this is when Liam says that everyone he’s ever met is nice. Because that can’t be true. “But I think we should go home before you fall asleep here on the sidewalk.”

 

“You’re nice. Really, really nice,” Liam mumbles, patting Louis’ cheek clumsily. “I wish you didn’t work for me.”

 

“But you asked me to come back?” Louis starts to pull Liam forward. If they ever are going to get home, he probably has to do all the work. “I can quit again if you want me to.”

 

“No, no” Liam sounds distracted, since he’s got to concentrate hard on every step he takes. “I just meant, you know. Other things.”

 

Louis realises he’ll never get a straight answer from Liam, so he just shakes his head and concentrates on walking, too.

 

When they are home again, Liam drops down on the sofa and tries to curl up into a little ball. Louis wants to laugh because Liam’s got the most ridiculously amazing bed that he’s ever seen.

 

Louis might have tried it, just out of curiosity once when Liam wasn’t there. It had felt like lying on candy floss, or as he imagines it would feel like, at least.

 

“Come on, love,” murmurs Louis, trying to help Liam up from the sofa. Which, it turns out, is harder when he’s a drunk lump, but he does get him up after much trying. “We should put you to bed.”

 

After he’s put Liam to bed, he places a glass of water and some pills for the headache Liam will surely have when he wakes up. Louis is so tired he can barely stand on his two feet. It’s not like he lives in the same area as Liam – not even close – so he lies down on the sofa, pulling one of those fluffy blankets over himself.

 

He can get out of there before Liam wakes up in the morning.

 

– – –

 

Louis wakes up because someone is making way too much noise. For one second he thinks about how he’s going to get up from his bed, go outside and knock on his annoying neighbours' door until they open up and he can tell them off. Quietly, though, so his head won’t hurt from it. Then he realises that he’s not at home.

 

He’s on Liam’s sofa, with Loki sleeping on his feet.

 

And the noise must mean Liam is up, which means Louis has to deal with being near Liam again, which isn’t so bad anymore. It’s just that he thought he could get one day away from Liam and maybe manage to talk some sense into himself.

 

As he sits up on the sofa, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Liam wanders into the room without a shirt on, and Louis almost chokes on his own spit. He's always known – even when he didn’t want to admit it – that Liam is fit. But having him so close, soft with sleep, messy hair and all that naked skin, it’s not easy to deal with.

 

“Morning,” Liam greets him, his voice still rough with sleep. “Didn’t know you were here. Thought you had gone home.” He drops down on the sofa next to Loki, not caring one bit about his state of undress.

 

Louis is pretty certain Liam isn’t wearing any underwear underneath his grey joggers and the v cut of his hips is ridiculously hypnotising. Louis knows he’s staring, but he can’t stop himself. It takes a while for him to realise that maybe he should answer Liam. It might make things a little bit less weird. “Yeah, I was just so bloody tired. I’m going home now.”

 

“Oh.” Liam looks disappointed and he’s frowning when he says, “I thought you could stay for breakfast. I can make waffles?”

 

Thinking about that one time Liam admitted to making a mess out of tea, Louis has to ask, “You can make waffles?”

 

“Well, it’s a mix. Probably doesn’t really count then.” Liam blushes and fidgets with the fabric of his pants, only making it slide even lower on his hips.

 

Louis thinks about what to answer. He’s got a lovely, sleepy Liam who wants to make him waffles, it will make nothing better. He can’t say no though, when Liam is looking at him, pulling at his bottom lip with his teeth as he waits for an answer. Then he realises that he can’t deny himself spending just a little bit more time with Liam. “I’ll stay.”

 

Louis watches Liam as he putters around in the kitchen, being terribly bad at even doing the simplest of things. The waffles turn out okay, however. At least most of them do.

 

– – –

 

Louis gets drunk that night, too. This time he’s home, though, and has Niall as company. Not Liam.

 

“I think I’ve got a small problem,” Louis says, when he’s not able to keep it in anymore.

 

“A Liam problem?” Niall asks, sounding like he knows already.

 

“Yeah,” Louis agrees, not sure things will get better if he admits it out loud, but he has to tell someone. “I might have realised that I’ve got. Well, feelings for him. Or that I want to fuck him. Well, probably more than that.”

 

“Yeah, that’s been obvious for a while.” Niall shrugs like it’s nothing.

 

“What?” Louis asks, and if Niall says that it came out like a shriek, he will admit to nothing. “I didn’t realise it until yesterday. How can you say such a thing?”

 

“He’s all you talk about, Louis,” Niall says slowly, rolling his eyes. “And it’s not all about him sucking.” Niall pauses and starts to laugh, which makes Louis shake his head even though he’s giggling, too. “No, I mean you talk about how great he sings and how much you like everything he does.”

 

“I complain about him. All the time,” Louis points out, because he’s pretty sure he does.

 

“Not as often as you say that you want to make out with him.”

 

“I’m pretty sure I’ve never said that,” Louis splutters. Even though it is true, since he does want to kiss Liam.

 

“That was what I heard,” Niall explains. “I wondered how long it would take for you to realise it.”

 

Louis wonders if he’s allowed to hit Niall. Just a little bit. Maybe with a pillow to make sure not to hurt him. “It can’t happen, so it doesn’t matter,” he says instead, too lazy to get up from his lumpy sofa to get a pillow.

 

“Why not?” Niall asks.

 

Louis doesn’t know for sure if Liam would be interested in him if he weren't Liam’s PA, but he remembers that one time when Liam was drunk and called him pretty. It might not just have been the alcohol, when he thinks about it. Not that it matters, because he is Liam’s PA. “I’ve got a contract, and it says I can’t have any sort of relationship with him. If he for some reason would want to date me.”

 

Niall seems confused. He’s got his beer halfway to his mouth and he just stares at Louis like he’s never seen him before. “But you never care about things like that.”

 

“I know,” Louis groans. “But I need this job. I don’t want to move back to mum’s.”

 

“You could live with me, you know,” Niall says. “You would have to sleep on my sofa, but you know that already.”

 

“Your flat is even more awful than this one, though I don’t know how the hell that’s even possible. Your bloody sofa is a crime to humanity,” Louis shudders just thinking about the nights he’s spent on it. Most of them, he ended up sleeping in Niall’s bed instead because nobody can sleep with a feather poking into their back. “I don’t think I would survive, but thanks anyway.”

 

Niall looks thoughtful. “I think you should go for it.”

 

“Can’t,” Louis says. “Simon would kill me if he found out.”

 

“I would have done it.” Niall grins, wiggling his eyebrows. “He’s awfully lovely to look at.”

 

Instead of answering, Louis gets up from the sofa and walks over to his bed. That pillow was needed more than he thought, obviously.

 

Niall doesn’t see it coming. He yells and drops his beer when Louis hits him straight in the face with the pillow. They tussle around, both of them trying to get the upper hand, laughing as they use every trick they know. No matter how dirty.

 

The new beer stain on his sofa is more than worth it, having put Niall in his place. Sort of in his place, since it’s Louis who’s on the floor and Niall laughing his arse off on the sofa.

 

– – –

 

It’s worrying that Liam isn’t home yet.

 

Louis has got no reason to be at Liam’s after he’s dropped off Loki, but he’s got no reason not to be there either. Liam seems to be happy, those time when he stays. It always ends with takeaway and watching movies together on Liam’s sofa. It’s hard, knowing that he can have Liam like that, sweet and soft, but not like he really wants him.

 

Niall would say that Louis wants Liam underneath him. That might be true, but he wants to kiss Liam most of all.

 

He thought this night would be like that. Not the kissing part, of course, but the watching bad movies and laughing at how lousy the actors are thing they’ve got. Liam isn’t home, though, and Louis can’t reach him on his mobile.

 

He’s left at least ten messages and sent as many texts.

 

When his phone finally rings, he answers without even looking at it. "Liam, where are you?"

 

“No, I’m afraid it’s not Liam. I’m calling from Royal London Hospital, since you’re registered as Liam Payne’s emergency contact,” the voice on the line says and Louis’ heart starts to beat harder in his chest.

 

“What’s happened?” Louis asks, afraid of hearing the answer.

 

“He’s been in an accident. It’s nothing fatal, but he’s in surgery right now. It would be good if you could come to the hospital before he wakes up,” the nurse says.

 

“Surgery?” Louis asks, having a hard time just saying the word out loud. He knows it must mean it’s bad, whatever it is that has happened to Liam.

 

“He’s got a fracture in one leg that needed to be set straight, but he’s going to be fine,” says the nurse, with a soothing tone. “If you come down, you can get more information about his injuries.”

 

“Of course,” Louis says, already rushing through the apartment to get his things.

 

It’s not until he’s out the door, and halfway to the hospital that he realises that it’s a bit strange that Liam has him as an emergency contact and not his mum, or even one of his childhood friends. He’s got no time to think further about it, though, as he needs to be there when Liam wakes up.

 

– – –

 

Louis isn’t allowed to see Liam when he gets to the hospital. He’s out of surgery, but not awake yet, having been sedated. It’s not okay that he’s not allowed to see Liam.

 

“I understand that you’ve got rules.” Louis does his best to stay calm and collected. It will get him nowhere if he shouts at the doctor as he so badly wants to. Liam would hate that, too. “But I need to see him.”

 

“He’s not going to be awake. Not for at least an hour,” says the doctor, who has explained to Louis that Liam was hit by a car when crossing the street.

 

Louis feels nauseous just thinking about Liam lying there in horrible pain in the middle of a street. He feels even worse when he thinks about how badly it could have ended. Liam will have to stay at the hospital for a few days, but then he’ll be able to come back home. He’ll have to walk with crutches for more than a month and he’s banged up all over, but he’s going to be fine.

 

Louis has lots of stuff to sort out until then, to make things work.

 

“Just for a few minutes then,” Louis suggests. The doctor looks like he’s about to give in, so he adds, “I promise not to be in the way.”

 

The doctor nods and leads him through the door. Louis is pretty sure he’s being told something, but it’s like there is a loud buzz in his head and he can’t focus on anything but Liam lying small and pale in a hospital bed.

 

Louis takes a few wobbly steps towards the bed and drops down into the visiting chair. It feels like he can’t breath and he has to take a few hiccuping gulps of air before he calms down.

 

Liam’s skin has lost it’s golden tone, and now it’s almost ashen. There are bruises on one side of his face and his hands are scraped, parts of them bandaged. His leg is covered in a cast and held high in a sling.

 

Louis is afraid to touch Liam, in case it would hurt him. Or even worse, break him somehow.

 

When a nurse comes to tell him that visiting hours are long since over, he raises his voice, forgetting all about keeping calm. In the end it doesn’t matter because he gets to stay, probably because of how miserable he looks.

 

– – –

 

Louis takes time to call Liam’s mum when he sits there waiting for Liam to wake up. He’s never spoken to her and it feels awful, having to call and tell her that Liam has been in an accident. Hopefully, she hasn’t heard anything about it. As rumours start to spread, things tend to be added along the way, and Louis can only imagine the things that will be said about Liam.

 

It might already be out, that Liam has been injured and hospitalised.

 

When Karen finally picks up, the words tumble out of him. ““Hi, I’m Louis, and I work as a personal assistant for your son.”

 

“Yes, Liam has been talking about you,” she says easily. At once, he knows that she can’t have heard about Liam, since she sound both calm and happy,

 

“I’m sorry, but I have to tell you some bad news. It’s not fatal, I promise, but Liam’s been in an accident, and he’s been in surgery for the last few hours because of a complicated fracture.”

 

“Oh, god,” she mumbles, taking one stuttering breath of air before she starts to cry.

 

“I don’t think you should drive,” Louis decides, listening to how Karen sobs on the other side of the line. “What if I book you and the rest of the family a car, someone to pick you all up?”

 

“Please,” she sniffles.

 

Louis thinks of his own mum, how upset she would be if something like that would happen to him.

 

Louis wants to hug Karen and tell her that everything will be okay. Since he can’t, he says ,“I’ll sort it, and I’ll look after him until you come.”

 

After he’s hung up on her, he calls Simon, making sure that everyone who Liam’s supposed to meet in the coming days knows that he won’t be available. It’s a lot less emotionally draining talking to his uncle than Karen, which at least is something.

 

Zayn doesn’t handle the news particularly well, when Louis calls him. He sniffles repeatedly, just like Louis is, when he is done explaining. When he hangs up, Zayn seems more or less okay, knowing that at Louis will be there.

 

Louis has got no idea who else he's supposed to call. He can't think of any friends except for Zayn that Liam has mentioned by name. He figures Liam will tell him when he wakes up.

 

It shouldn't be long. Liam's moving around restlessly in his bed now, making small, painful noises as his hands twitches or when he crinkles his nose.

 

Louis rubs his fingers carefully over one of Liam's eyebrows, wanting to soothe away a wrinkle on his forehead. With Liam asleep, at least he can’t feel all the bruises on his body

 

– – –

 

It’s late and Louis is tired but he’s refusing to go home until Liam’s parents come to the hospital. He can’t leave Liam there alone. The visitors chair probably isn’t meant to be slept in, but he lays his arms on Liam’s bed and rests his head on them, just needing to close his eyes for a moment.

 

His little finger is resting against Liam’s hand, stroking carefully over parts of skin that isn’t damaged. Otherwise, he probably wouldn’t have noticed Liam’s hand going from slack to tense so suddenly.

 

Louis sits up straight so fast his head swims. “You awake?”

 

“Louis,” mumbles Liam, his voice slurred. He’s smiling dopily – which must be because of the morphine they’ve given him – and reaches out to touch Louis’ face, wincing when he moves his leg.

 

"Don't move around," Louis scolds him gently. "You want me to call for a nurse?"

 

"I _want_ to hold your hand," says Liam, his hand flopping down uselessly on the bed again.

 

Louis guesses he would want to hold someone's hand too, if he felt as miserable as Liam has to feel right now. It’s not the time to think about if it’s really his hand Liam wants to hold. Instead, he takes Liam's hand and asks, "I've called your mum and she is coming here soon. You want me to call someone else?"

 

"You're here," Liam mumbles, looking both happy and confused about it. "Why are you here?"

 

"Why wouldn't I be?" Louis asks, wondering if he maybe should call for that nurse. Liam seems kind of out of it.

 

Liam does something with his shoulders that might be a shrug and he mumbles, "Nobody ever comes, not when I want them to."

 

"If I call them for you, I'm sure they'll come here," Louis says softly.

 

"Not even to my birthday party," Liam stresses.

 

Louis is pretty sure he remembers Liam saying something like that once before. He doesn't understand it better this time. "I do think you drank a little bit too much, love," says Louis. He pauses, wondering if he should admit to his habit of keeping track of Liam. He might as well, otherwise he may never understand what Liam means. "I remember there being photos all over the internet, from your party."

 

"My sixteenth birthday," Liam says slowly and the sad look in his eyes makes Louis' heart shatter into thousands of tiny pieces.

 

Louis feels frozen and he blinks over and over at Liam, not sure how to deal with that new information about him.

 

"Nobody ever _likes_ me," Liam adds, seemingly lost in his own head.

 

Liam’s words make it feel like someone is stomping hard on what's left of his heart, but they shake him from his stupor. "Zayn likes you, I promise," he squeezes Liam's hand, willing him to listen. "He wanted to be here, but he's got to wait until visiting hours. I really like you too, now that I know that you never meant to be a total prat."

 

"Really?" Liam asks with a small voice.

 

" _Really_." It feels like he’s dying inside because he can't tell Liam how much he really likes him.

 

"I'm so sleepy," Liam mumbles, fighting to keep his eyes open as he yawns.

 

Louis lets Liam go back to sleep and softly kisses his cheek when Liam's breathing has evened out. He wonders how he could have missed how lonely Liam's been, it might not be an excuse for the way he's treated the people around him, but it's an explanation.

 

At some point, Louis falls asleep, too. Still with Liam's hand in his own and Liam's snuffling sounds lulling him to sleep.

 

– – –

 

Louis wakes up because of voices talking around him. His head feels blurry but it doesn't take him long to remember where he is and why. He sits up a bit too fast and almost manages to fall off the hard plastic chair that definitely wasn't meant to be slept in. He sees a different doctor than the one who let him see Liam.

 

And a woman that he recognizes from the photos at Liam's bedroom wall.

 

The doctor shakes Liam’s mum’s hand and leaves the room, with a promise of coming back with more information as soon as possible.

 

“Oh, Mrs.Payne,” he says, trying to reach out to shake her hand only to find that Liam’s clutching it hard in his sleep.

 

“Never mind about that, love. And please call me Karen.” She wipes away a tear rolling down her cheek. Her eyes are red and she looks so exhausted she barely can hold her own body up.

 

“I’m Louis, in case that wasn’t clear,” he says, when it feels like it’s been quiet for too long.

 

Karen looks at Liam, smiling sadly, when she says, “I think it was quite clear since you’re here taking care of my little boy.”

 

“Oh, it’s my job isn’t it.” Louis feels like he’s as transparent as glass about why he’s really there. “Not that Liam thinks I’m a very good PA.”

 

“I know he can be… Well, I know you’re not his first PA, and maybe not the best when it comes to things like keeping things in order. Or knowing where he should be,” she says.

 

“Both those things are a _big_ part of the job.”

 

Liam’s mum walks over to the other side of Liam’s bed and sits down on the edge of it. She carefully strokes her fingers through Liam’s hair. “But you’ve made him feel happier. He’s been talking about things that aren't work for the first time in forever.“ She looks at Louis with tears welling up in her eyes again. “It’s been two albums, both of them have doing great and he still thinks that nobody will care about him if he does anything wrong.”

 

Louis wouldn’t have guessed it when he started working for Liam, that Liam cared so much what other people think of him. Then he just thought Liam was someone who thought too much of himself, when he more probably thinks too little of himself.

 

“I did quit, you know,” Louis admits. “I couldn’t deal with how frustrating he could be. Well, some days.”

 

Karen nods, not looking surprised at all. “He called me, asked me what to do,” she says. “He really didn’t want any other assistant. No matter how many mistakes you’ve made.”

 

“I’m going to make sure to not miss anything now, though,” Louis says, feeling stupidly fond because of how Liam wanted to keep him around, no matter how awful he was as an assistant.

 

“I don’t think he cares,” Karen says softly. “If I know my Liam, he would rather you stayed here with him.”

 

Louis nods, already thinking about all the things he knows he must sort out, the meetings that must be rescheduled. That’s easy; Louis doesn’t think anyone will mind.

 

If they do, he’ll make sure they don’t have a job anymore.

 

Simon does like Louis more than anyone else who works for him. Might be that they are family, but still.

 

The interviews that Liam has, he might be able to do over the phone. In a week, or maybe four if Louis gets to decide. Can’t be too careful.

 

“I think I can do both,” Louis says distracted. Carefully, he tries to get Liam to let go of him, smiling when Liam grumbles in his sleep before he lets Louis’ fingers slip out of his tight grip. “I just need to go get some things.”

 

“You’re coming back.” Karen uses the same tone his own mum uses when she’s already decided what Louis is going to do.

 

“I promise,” Louis says. He stretches his sore limbs, realising why you’re not supposed to sleep in those chairs, when his back cracks loudly. “Give me an hour, and I’ll be back.”

 

– – –

 

Louis has set up something that almost can qualify for a small office in Liam’s hospital room. It’s something he’s never had the need for before. He’s even got himself a laptop, writing bloody lists over all the things he’s going have to fix.

 

He’s taking phone calls from what feels like every person Liam’s ever spoken to, wondering if it’s true that Liam’s in the hospital. After the third call, he started to say exactly the same words, just wanting to get whatever person on the end of the line to hang up before Louis tells them to shove off.

 

Or worse, ask them where the fuck they were when Liam thought he didn’t have any friends.

 

He’s got to act professional and not like a rabid guard dog.

 

“You know,” Liam says, shaking his head fondly. “I can take my own phone calls. It’s not my voice I’ve injured.”

 

“Don’t think so,” Louis huffs, having heard the same thing from Liam many times before already. “You’re supposed to rest, nothing else.”

 

“But I’m _bored_ ,” Liam whines.

 

The one problem with working besides Liam’s bed is that he’s not allowed any peace to do so. Liam keeps making sad noises and, if it isn’t enough, he starts poking at Louis.

 

“If you let me work for twenty minutes, I promised to do whatever you want,” Louis says, when Liam sighs once more.

 

“Fine,” says Liam, pouting as he watches Louis try to get back to his half-written list. “If you think it’s best.”

 

“Fuck’s sake, Liam,” Louis groans, closing his laptop abruptly. He’ll have to fix the last of it when Liam’s asleep, and with Liam being on morphine because of the pain, he does sleep a lot. “You’re like a baby.”

 

Liam smiles big and open. “I want to watch a movie.”

 

Louis shuffles down in the chair, trying to get more comfortable. It doesn’t work all that well. “If you want to watch that Batman movie one more time, we can call Zayn and ask him to come here.”

 

“No, I’ve got you.” Liam pats the bed next to himself. Just like the last few times they watched movies together. “And it’s great, you shouldn’t complain.”

 

Louis wonders if it’s the best way for him to deal with the feelings he’s got for Liam, being cuddled up next to him in bed. That’s why he tries to get out of it every time, even though he doesn’t really want to.

 

He always forgets how bad he is at saying no to Liam when he pouts. Just like the times before, he climbs up onto the bed and lies down next to Liam, careful not to bump into his leg.

 

“You’re the _worst_ ,” Louis complains, but the fondness in his voice reveals him, and Liam just smiles at him instead of looking offended like he should.

 

About halfway into the movie, Liam’s head drops down on Louis’ shoulder and he mumbles something quietly into the fabric of his t-shirt.

 

“What?” Louis asks, craning his neck until he can look at Liam. Only to find that Liam has his eyes closed already, appearing to be asleep. Not wanting to move him, even though he should get back to work, Louis settles back, using that remote to lower the bed a bit.

 

He never gets to finish that list.

 

– – –

 

Louis wakes up feeling unusually warm and cosy and someone next to the bed snorts out a laugh. Obviously he’s not at home, but he’s too comfortable to open his eyes.

 

“I know you’re awake, Louis,” says Zayn, poking him in the cheek. “We’ve got stuff to talk about.”

 

“What are you even laughing about?” Louis feels like he’s missed _something_.

 

“It’s just that I thought it was kind of funny. Oh, and cute, too, that the two of you are cuddled up in bed. You used to think he was so awful,” Zayn smiles and arches an eyebrow that's probably meant to say something about how Zayn was right all along.

 

“He was awful,” Louis defends himself, even if he’s over that now. It doesn’t feel like it matters anymore. “And it’s nothing going on between us. He doesn’t want me that way.”

 

“Doesn’t look that way,” says Zayn, sitting down on Louis’ chair. Or the chair Louis thinks of as his, after Liam having been at the hospital for six days.

 

“We fell asleep watching Batman,” Louis explains. He wants to cross his arms over his chest or huff and storm out, but that would only look like he’s being too defensive about it.

 

“I didn’t say you did anything.” Zayn rolls his eyes, looking fond. “How could you even, with his cast and everything.”

 

“Not that I don’t want you here.” Louis tries to change the subject before Liam wakes up. Things could get awkward real fast, otherwise. “But what are you doing here?”

 

“Karen said you had a few things to sort out, meetings about Liam I think,” Zayn pauses, looking between them once more, like he wants to ask more about what’s going on between them. “She thought I should distract him while you’re gone, said he likes to sulk as soon as you’re out of the door.”

 

“That’s good. I mean, about you distracting him.” Louis wonders why he didn’t think about it himself? Must be because of how full his head is with other things to take care of.

 

“You know,” Zayn says, just as Louis is collecting the last of his things. “I think it’s good, what’s going on between the two of you. For the both of you.”

 

“Even if he,” Louis breaks off, trying to think of a way to make Zayn understand. “Even if we both wanted something, which I’m not saying we are, it would never work.”

 

“No?” Zayn questions, looking doubtful. Like he wants to protest.

 

“I work for him. There are rules, things you can’t do, and the most important one is that I can’t have a relationship with him.”

 

“If you say so,” says Zayn, in a tone that Louis knows mean that he’ll hear more from Zayn about it later.

 

– – –

 

Louis has managed to sort out Liam’s schedule for the coming week quite well, way better than he thought he could. Which means Liam’s free for a little bit more than a week, then he has some meetings and interviews. Those will take place over the phone, though. Louis made sure of that, even if Liam insisted that he could take himself to the right location.

 

Liam’s been home less than a day and he’s miserable where he lies on the sofa with several pillows stuffed underneath his leg.

 

“Louis,” Liam whines. “It hurts and I _hate_ this.”

 

“I know you do,” Louis says, because Liam’s told him at least five times in the last hour. More before that. He wonders if the doctor should have cut down on his pain pills already and he makes a mental note to call and make sure.

 

“This is so boring,” Liam continues, obviously nowhere near done with his rant. Not that Louis blames him, when he’s in so much pain.

 

“You’re calling me boring?” Louis asks, teasingly. “I feel like I should be offended.”

 

“No,” Liam sighs. “But what if, you know…”

 

“I can’t hear your thoughts, Liam,” Louis says, when Liam doesn’t say anything more.

 

“What if. What if people think I’m a failure now? I should be able to do my job,” Liam clarifies, refusing to even look at Louis. Instead, he fiddles at his shirt, appearing to find it more interesting than it ever could be.

 

“You were hit by a _bloody_ car, Liam,” Louis says, feeling incredulous. “If anyone thinks you’re a failure, at any point, they’re fucking dumb. Now,” Louis stops in the middle of his speech, making sure to wait until Liam really looks at him. “If anyone thinks you’re a failure now, I would personally want to visit them and ask them how the fuck they would even dare.”

 

Liam shrugs, but he’s starting to smile.

 

“I mean it,” Louis says as he sits down next to Liam on the sofa. A bit too close probably, but he’s used to Liam wanting him right next to him.

 

“I know you do.” Liam reaches out to take Louis’ phone from his hand. He shuts it off and lays it where Louis can’t reach it, looking all too pleased with himself.

 

When Liam takes his hand and threads their fingers together, Louis almost jumps up from the sofa. He manages to not do it, but his heart is beating hard and fast in his chest.

 

Louis knows he should let go of Liam’s hand, get up and do something – anything – to make sure that they don’t cross any boundaries. How could he, when Liam smiles at him and relaxes back into the sofa.

 

“You want to watch another movie?” Louis asks, wondering if they even have more movies to watch. They’ve gone through most of them twice at the hospital already.

 

Maybe he can talk Zayn into coming over with more, even if he’s supposed to be at work. Zayn has got a soft spot for Liam, even when he’s not hurt and sad.

 

“Yeah,” Liam agrees, “That would be nice.”

 

If they watch the same movie for the third time, Louis doesn’t notice. Not with Liam’s leg warm against his and Liam’s long fingers tracing patterns on the back of his hand.

 

– – –

 

Louis has talked to Liam’s mum, made sure she knows that he’s okay, since she doesn’t trust Liam not to lie, just to protect her. He’s got a few small errands left to take of today. Plenty of time to make sure Liam’s not thinking up more dumb shit.

 

Louis is making Liam tea. Of course, not without complaining about his intake of sugar. “I still think it’s terrifying, what you’re doing to your tea,” Louis says loudly, to make sure Liam hears him from his spot on the sofa.

 

“I know you do,” Liam shouts back, probably rolling his eyes like he usually does when Louis grumbles about it.

 

Not without reason, if Louis has anything to say about it.

 

Louis isn’t prepared for anyone coming by and he almost drops the two cups of tea in his hands, when there’s a knock on the door. He looks down on his glittery joggers, wondering if he could get away with not opening the door.

 

Probably not, even when much more relaxed, Liam doesn't like to be rude. He would find it rude to not open.

 

“Are we expecting anyone?" Louis asks, giving one of the cups to Liam. Whoever it is on the other side of the door, that person is not more important than making sure Liam has everything he needs.

 

Even if it's as small a thing as tea.

 

"No, don't think so," Liam says, smiling gratefully as he sips on his tea. "But you should open it."

 

Just like Louis knew he would. Louis wants to cuddle up next to Liam and refuse to move. Instead, he asks, "What if it's _someone_ selling cookies?"

 

"Why would that be bad?" Liam asks with a raised eyebrow. "Just buy some, in that case."

 

Louis has no idea why he brought up cookies, it's unlikely that cookies would be the reason someone still is knocking on the door. Louis sighs and goes to open the door.

 

"Hi," Louis says, staring at Harry Styles, who does have a cake in his hands. "Have you switched career and started selling cookies?"

 

Harry seems confused, his forehead wrinkled. "What?"

 

"Who is it?" Liam yells.

 

"It's Harry Styles," Louis shouts back, stepping back to let Harry inside. Would be stupid of him not to, since he's got that big cake, and he was nice to Liam, too. That part is even more important. "With cake."

 

"Cake," Liam shouts, his voice filled with joy. "I want cake."

 

Harry grins at Louis as he pushes the cake into his hands. "Maybe I should have sent him a cake, instead of all those texts.”

 

Louis comes to think about what Harry said, about him and Liam making out during their X-factor days. “You still interested in him then?,” Louis asks, a bit afraid of getting an answer that he wouldn’t like. Not one tiny bit.

 

“What?” Harry asks, staring openly at Louis. It does look like he’s trying not to laugh.

 

Louis wonders why Harry seems to thinks it’s a dumb question. It’s not a dumb question. “You know, I wouldn’t blame you.”

 

“I just wanted to be his friend,” Harry says slowly. “I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about.”

 

“I’m not _worried_ ,” Louis rushes to say, wondering how obvious he really is. He doesn’t think Liam has noticed anything, so why does everyone else seem to figure him out straight away?

 

“Yeah, like I believe that,” Harry laughs, patting Louis on the back once before he goes to find Liam on the sofa.

 

Louis wants to drop the cake on the floor as a stupid kind of revenge. Not that Harry has done anything wrong, because he was _right_. Mostly he doesn’t do it for the simple reason that it would make Liam upset.

 

When he gets into the living room, Harry is already drawing doodles on Liam’s cast. Along with the dicks Louis has put there, and then had to paint over when Liam told him, “Louis, my _mum_ will see that,” blushing the pinkest colour Louis has ever seen on him.

 

Liam makes grabby hands and pouts at Louis. "I want cake."

 

"I think you would find it's easier to eat with something but your hands," says Louis and puts the cake on the table, at a safe distance from Liam's hands.

 

"You're mean," Liam grumbles.

 

"And pretty, I've heard," Harry drawls, winking at Louis, so totally indiscreet that Louis wants to hide his face in his hands.

 

"What?" Liam asks, looking confusedly between him and Harry. He's obviously forgotten about when what he said that night at the bar.

 

Louis chooses to not tell Liam what he doesn't remember. Nothing good can come from it anyway. "I'm going to go get those plates, and other stuff,"

 

He can hear Harry and Liam laugh together on the sofa and it's lovely to hear Liam laugh that freely. With someone who's not him or Zayn, none the less.

 

Louis is pretty sure he had never even heard Liam laugh, when he had worked for him a month.

 

He takes too long a time in the kitchen, distracted by his own thoughts about Liam smiling that crinkly eyed smile he’s started using more and more often.

 

"Oh, pretty," Liam says gleefully, when Louis cuts the cake open, and it's in a bunch of different bright colours.

 

"Yeah," Harry agrees, reaching out to take the plate from Louis, putting in down in Liam's lap. "It's a Rainbow Cake."

 

"That's fitting, I guess," Liam laughs.

 

"Since we're all gay, you mean?" Harry asks, grinning widely as he nudges Liam with his elbow, luckily the side Liam doesn't have most of his bruises on. "I would call myself bisexual but it is fitting, I agree."

 

"I was thinking about you and me. Not Louis," Liam says, humming to himself as he bites into the sweet cake.

 

"I'm not straight, Liam," Louis says. Even though, it would have been easier to let Liam think he isn’t gay – with the things he thinks that Liam might feel for him, too – it feels wrong to lie.

 

Even if it would make things easier.

 

Liam stops with another piece of cake halfway to his mouth, staring wide-eyed at Louis. He smiles shyly. "Well, that's good."

 

Louis doesn't know how to answer that, his mind is blank, but Harry saves him from having to when he says, "So, Liam. I was thinking we should do a song, you and me. Like we talked about, remember that?"

 

"Yeah, didn't think you meant it though," Liam says, turning towards Harry again.

 

"Why wouldn't I?" asks Harry, looking at Liam like he's not even talking English anymore. "With your voice and my striking good looks," he pauses to wink, but then he adds,"Not that you need any help in that department, you grew up really handsome, mate."

 

Louis wants to interrupt and tell Harry to stop hitting on Liam, but he knows that it's probably what Harry wants him to do. That and the unbelievably flattered look on Liam's face make him stay silent.

 

Harry is nice and he seemed honest about not wanting anything more than to be friends with Liam. Not that Louis understands how that's even possible. He's still jealous that harry Has got to kiss Liam, even though it was just a teenage flirtation.

 

– – –

 

It’s the sad – and misspelt – texts that he gets in the middle of the night that tip him off that something isn’t quite right with Liam’s sleeping habits. The last one he’s got reads _‘missss youuu, why aren’t youu here_ ’.

 

Louis wonders the exact same thing.

 

When he gets to Liam’s flat Liam has managed to get himself to the sofa and he smiles softly at Louis when he rushes into the flat. He was probably more worried than a few texts should have made him.

 

Liam looks tired, with bags underneath him eyes. His skin tone is still not what Louis is used to, so the dark colour underneath them looks like he’s bruised.

 

Louis guesses that’s _normal_ when you go through a thing like Liam has done, but he still hates it.

 

“Slept alright?” Louis asks, even though he already knows the answer

 

“Not really,” Liam responds. He winces when he shuffles down on the sofa until he’s resting his head more comfortably, the way he moves looks both clumsy and painful. “I had this dream, about what happened. Then I couldn't get back to sleep.”

 

“Oh,” says Louis, feeling like he should have realised that Liam was having nightmares without him having to say it. “Is there anything I can do. Call someone maybe?”

 

“Maybe you could stay here?” Liam asks, looking so hopeful that Louis can’t even think about saying but yes.

 

“If you think that will make it better,” Louis says.

 

“I do.” Liam sounds painfully earnest. His eyes are closed and he seems to be about to fall asleep right there on the sofa.

 

Louis takes one extra pillow and carefully lifts Liam’s leg until he can set it in the right position. He stands there, staring at Liam for a few minutes, before he realises that he can’t just stand there all day.

 

It not a part of his job description.

 

He finds the laptop where he left it on Liam’s table in the kitchen and, when he’s made his own tea, he takes it to the living room. It doesn't hurt to keep one eye on Liam when he writes that report to Simon.

 

Not that he thinks Liam will fall off of the sofa, it just feels better to have him close.

 

– – –

 

Even with the size of his flat, Liam doesn’t have a guest bedroom. Strangely enough. For some reason it made sense to Liam to have a room filled with music instruments instead.

 

But Liam's sofa is probably more comfortable than Louis' bed, so he snuggles down with a pillow so nice he's already planning how he can smuggle it out of there when he leaves.

 

Maybe he could just ask Liam, is the last thing he thinks before he falls asleep.

 

A bit later, he's woken by Liam clumsily dropping down on the sofa. He's barely missing Louis' knees, but he looks so miserable Louis can't complain.

 

"Can't sleep, I guess," Louis mumbles, as he drags himself into a sitting position.

 

Liam sits stiff and quiet, but he relaxes when Louis shuffles close enough for Liam to lean into him. When he has his head on Louis' shoulder, he asks, "Can I sleep here. With you?"

 

Louis strokes his fingers through Liam's hair, curly and soft where it is starting to grow out. "Not sure it's good for you, sleeping like that."

 

"Don't want to sleep alone," Liam says, humming softly when Louis starts to massage his scalp.

 

Louis regrets it almost before he asks, but he can’t stop himself. "I can sleep with you, in your bed if you want to?"

 

It feels like he's stepping across the line he said he wouldn't cross when it comes to Liam. Or more like falls head first, maybe.

 

"Would you?" Liam asks.

 

Louis nods, starting to get up from the sofa. He can't take his words back now, so he helps Liam get up, too. "If you snore, I will kick you."

 

"You wouldn't," Liam says, smiling fondly. He swears when he tries to make the crutches do what he wants, but instead almost manages to fall over in his haste to back to bed.

 

Louis chooses not to answer, since he wouldn't kick Liam. At least not until he's healed, but then he won't be in Liam's bed, so that doesn't matter.

 

It feels weird, getting into Liam's bed. He tries to focus on that, instead of how right it feels.

 

The bed is as lovely as Louis remembers it. The sheets are soft and Liam falls asleep almost at once beside him, making small smacking sounds in his sleep. It's soothing, but Louis can't sleep.

 

After a while, he rolls closer to Liam and skims his fingers down Liam's cheek. It's not something he should do, if he wants to keep things professional, but his chest feels warm when he watches Liam. He can’t deny himself that one small thing.

 

He falls asleep with his hand on Liam's sleep warm skin.

 

– – –

 

It's been almost a week and Louis hasn't been at his own flat once. The last three nights he hasn't even tried to sleep in on the sofa, following Liam directly into his bedroom instead.

 

Louis is making them breakfast. Just toast and tea, but Liam usually is grateful nonetheless.

 

Today is a bit different.

 

Liam looks shifty, like he’s done something he shouldn’t. It makes Louis nervous. He’s about to ask what’s Liam’s done, when Liam says, “So… Zayn will come here today. With some stuff.”

 

“Didn’t know you needed anything fancy when lying around on your sofa, Liam.” Louis silently hopes that Liam’s not made any plans without him. Louis would be seriously mad if he went to one of those meetings he insisted he wanted to be at.

 

“Well,” says Liam, dragging the word out. When he starts talking, it’s almost too fast for Louis to understand what he’s even saying. “It’s not for me. Don’t be mad, but I got Zayn to get you that suit. That you didn’t want.”

 

“A suit?” Louis asks, confused. “Why would I even _need_ a suit?”

 

“I just thought it would be good, when I get back to work. Proper work, with meetings and stuff,” Liam says, relaxing a bit when he seems to realise that Louis isn’t mad. Just confused.

 

“You don’t like my tank tops then?” Louis asks.

 

“No, no,” Liam says, and his cheeks are suspiciously pink as he adds. “I like them, but I thought a suit would be a good look on you. I want to do something to thank you for taking care of me, too.”

 

“It’s my job,” Louis says. It feels like a lie.

 

Taking care of Liam’s meetings is his job, but sleeping in his bed to make sure Liam’s not alone when he has nightmares, that’s not his job.

 

“I know,” says Liam, looking pleased. Like he already knows that he’s going to get to give that suit to Louis, just like he wanted.

 

Louis really can’t say no to Liam.

 

Zayn brought more than one suit with him. How a person so skinny could carry all those clothes with him, Louis doesn't understand.

 

Liam sits on the sofa, as an audience and a judge, but so far he hasn't been any help since he says everything looks great.

 

“This one’s the last,” Zayn says, when he gives him a black suit with tight fit and lapels that looks shinier than the rest of the it. “I think Liam will like this one.”

 

Louis rolls his eyes. “Liam likes everything.” The suit does look good, though, when he’s got it on.

 

Liam might have been right about him getting a suit, not that Louis will tell him. Can’t have him with a big head, thinking he’s clever or something.

 

Zayn gives him a long look, like he’s especially dumb just this moment. “You know he likes them because it’s you who have them on, right? He would have liked you in a pink, furry suit. Not that I have one of those.”

 

“He wouldn’t,” Louis protest.

 

“Oh, he _would_ ,” Zayn says, pointedly.

 

“I’m going to go show him this, then,” Louis says, mostly so he can get away from Zayn’s knowing eyes.

 

When Louis gets to the living room, he makes a twirl in front of Liam, just to show it off properly. “This the one?” he asks, when Liam just stares at him.

 

Liam shakes his head, looking thoughtful for a moment before he shines up. “We should get them all,” he decides, pleased and a bit smug, too.

 

“I’ve got no reason to have ten suits,” Louis tells him, wondering if Liam wants him to wear a suit at home now, too.

 

“It’s not ten. Five maybe, but not ten,” Zayn says, startling Louis since he had all but forgotten that it wasn’t just him and Liam there.

 

Liam really turns his head into mush.

 

“I want to get them for you,” Liam says, his pout daring Louis to say no.

 

“You can get me the newest FIFA, or maybe a bed like yours,” Louis jokes.

 

“Oh, you sleep in his bed?” Zayn asks, and Louis wants to hit his head on the wall – his own, not Zayn’s – knowing that he’ll never hear the end of it now.

 

He doesn’t blame Zayn for teasing him about behaving like a lovesick teenager around Liam; he would have done the same if Zayn were in love.

 

Louis freezes, suddenly realising that he’s not just attracted to Liam, or has a crush on him. He’s proper in love with him. Fuck, when did that happen?

 

“I can get you a new bed,” Liam says happily, apparently missing how stiff and silent Louis is. “That’s not much, with all you’ve done for me.”

 

“Still my job,” Louis says. “You know I get _paid_ to do stuff for you.”

 

“Not one of my other assistants would have done this,” Liam insists.

 

Well, not one of them were in love with you, Louis thinks. He doesn’t say that out loud, though. How could he?

 

“Two suits, nothing more,” he says, as sternly as he can manage when Liam still pouts at him.

 

“The last one is a given, at least,” Zayn says. “Liam does seem to like that one.”

 

“And the first,” Liam decides. “That one, too.”

 

Louis nods, still feeling dazed from his realisation that he’s in love with Liam.

 

Zayn doesn’t leave when he’s done. Apparently he’s incapable of saying no as much as Louis is when Liam looks even a little sad. Louis leaves them on the sofa, seeing it as an opportunity to make the last calls when it comes to planning the release of Liam’s new record.

 

Mostly, it is about signings and performances that will probably be awkward with Liam’s cast, but they’re not things Louis can make disappear. Liam would probably get very upset if he tried.

 

So Louis won’t.

 

About halfway through his list his phone rings. As it’s Niall calling, he doesn’t even think about not answering.

 

“So, I need those tickets you’ve got me for that soccer,” Niall says. “You think you could give them to me tonight? Feels like it’s been forever since I last saw you.”

 

“I’m not at home. Don’t think I’ll come home tonight either.” Louis feels bad about the lack of time he’s spent with Niall. Things will go back to what they were. Liam will be better soon, and then he won’t need Louis there anymore.

 

“Really?” Niall asks, laughing. “Can I come get them now? Got the rest of afternoon free, so I would love to meet your lover boy for real.”

 

“Niall, don’t call him that,” Louis groans.

 

“He can’t hear me,” Niall laughs. “Text me the address and I’ll come by later.”

 

“Will do.” Louis hangs up before Niall can come with any more nicknames for Liam.

 

– – –

 

Liam and Zayn are still sitting close together on the sofa, looking at one of the comics Zayn brought with him. Which means he obviously had planned to stay, even without Liam pouting at him.

 

"Yeah, this is Niall. My best mate," Louis says, nodding towards Niall.

 

Louis waits for Niall to be his usual way – friendly and loud – but he's standing stock still next to him. Niall's cheeks are pink and he's staring openly at Zayn.

 

The only thing missing would be him shuffling his feet. Otherwise, he looks exactly as Louis feels around Liam.

 

Liam doesn't seem to notice anything, however. Louis should maybe be glad he isn't better at that sort of thing. Instead, Liam says, "I think I saw a photo of you, at Louis' flat."

 

When Niall stays quiet, Louis nudges him with his elbow, arching an eyebrow at him. He tries to be discreet about it, but Zayn looks amused so he must have noticed.

 

The good thing is that Zayn looks interested, too.

 

“Ah, yes,” says Niall, smiling. “That would be me. I was just here to get some tickets from Louis, but I’m going to go. It was nice to meet you finally, Liam. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

 

“Or, you could stay,” Zayn says, smiling in a way that Louis can’t describe as anything but flirtatious.

 

Which is good, since he badly needs something to tease Zayn about. Zayn liking Niall – even if it’s mutual – will be great for the next time Zayn calls him lovesick.

 

“I _could_ stay,” Niall says, and Louis can tell he’s thinking about whether or not he can get anyway with winking at Zayn.

 

Louis groans loudly, when Niall does wink.

 

“I think I’m going to get the rest done later,” Louis says, knowing he’ll get nothing done anyway, with Niall being there.

 

Niall would bother him until he stopped working; very much like Liam likes to do when Zayn’s not there to distract him.

 

Liam warms up quickly to Niall, which isn’t unusual. Niall’s got a way of making all people like him, with his quick wit and easy laugh.

 

Though, it’s a good thing it’s Zayn and not Liam who’s obviously smitten by Niall. Louis would have been horribly jealous otherwise. Even if he knows that nothing can come from his feelings for Liam.

 

– – –

 

Louis’ things have started to migrate more and more to Liam’s flat. It almost too much, seeing his toothbrush next to Liam’s in the bathroom. Staying there has been worth the tight pain in his chest, the good more important than the bad.

 

Liam seems to be so happy to have him there.

 

It’s only a little bit more than a week until Liam’s cast is supposed to come off and he’s doing much better.

 

The nightmares don’t come as often, not like the first week they shared a bed. Most mornings Liam wakes up looking so soft and well rested Louis wants to cuddle up close to him more than anything.

 

The way Liam smiles at him, soft and sweet, combined with his messy hair, it makes him feel _things_. Not just pure want, but softer feelings, too. He wants to kiss Liam so badly he barely can keep himself from doing so.

 

One morning he was about to do it, he even leaned forward, but then he remembered why he can’t do it.

 

Liam had just blinked at him, over and over, until Louis had all but fled from the bed.

 

Louis lies next to Liam in bed and the clock hasn’t gone off yet, so he can just watch Liam mumble something in his sleep, smiling. His chest feels tight, because he knows he won’t be able to have this much longer.

 

Liam sleeping much better must mean that Louis can’t spend his nights in Liam’s bed anymore.

 

Louis lets out a loud sigh, knowing that he’ll miss Liam breathing softly next to him.

 

“What are you thinking about?” Liam mumbles, startling Louis since he didn’t even notice him waking.

 

“You’re doing much better,” Louis says, trying to think something to say to Liam that won’t make him sound like a selfish idiot.

 

It’s not that he isn’t happy about Liam doing better; he is really glad that Liam doesn’t wake up in the cold sweat every night. It’s just that he would do almost _anything_ to get to keep Liam to himself.

 

He won’t be able to, he knows it. Soon, Liam will be out seeing people who aren’t him or Zayn – and sometimes Niall and Harry – and he’ll find someone else who will be willing to sleep in his bed.

 

It’ll be easy for Liam to replace him. Who wouldn’t want Liam?

 

“I know,” Liam says, looking puzzled. “We’ve got a doctors appointment in a few days, I think.”

 

“I meant, with the nightmares and everything,” Louis says as he sits up in bed, refusing to even look at Liam. He’ll probably cave if Liam gives looks sad or upset. “I was thinking about going home, sleeping in my own bed tonight.”

 

“What? But why would you do that? I thought you liked it here?” Liam asks, sounding both hurt and confused.

 

Louis wants to say _‘because it hurts to wake up next to you, when I can’t kiss you good morning_ ’. Instead, he gets up from bed, his back turned to Liam as he says, “I live there, Liam. I miss my bed, and my other stuff.”

 

It’s a lie, but as long as Liam doesn’t see his face, he probably won’t be able to tell.

 

Things are awkward between them the rest of the day. They don’t talk to each other the way they usually do. Liam won’t even look at him. Not when he thinks Louis notices anyway. As soon as Louis’ attention is somewhere other than Liam, he can feel Liam’s eyes following him around.

 

Louis does his work, just like he should. Liam doesn’t bother him about watching bad shows on the telly, wanting him to entertain Liam more than letting Louis get important things done.

 

“Yeah, I’m going to leave now.” Louis takes one last look around the flat. He can’t find his keys, is the thing. He’s not sure how he’s going to manage to get home, if he can’t find them. “As soon as I find my bloody keys.”

 

Liam looks shifty, maybe even a bit guilty as he stares at the telly. There’s nothing to watch on it, though, since it’s the credits that’s rolling.

 

“Have you seen them?” Louis asks, when Liam doesn’t say anything.

 

“No, don’t think so,” Liam mumbles.

 

“Are you _lying_?” Louis asks, baffled when he realises that Liam does know where his keys are.

 

“I don’t want you to go home,” Liam huffs, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“What are you going to do, Li?” Louis asks, getting angry about Liam making it harder for him to leave. He doesn’t want to leave either, not really. “Are you going to fire me?”

 

“No,” Liam says loudly. “I wouldn’t do that.” He takes out the keys from his pockets, looking ashamed to be caught in a lie. Blushing wildly, he throws the keys to Louis. “I’m sorry, okay?”

 

“I know,” Louis says, stalling for a short moment, unable to make himself walk out of there. “I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

 

“You’ll have to. Since I pay you and everything,” Liam mutters.

 

Louis wants to say that he’s Liam’s friend more than anything, but he doesn’t know if Liam even wants to hear it from him right now. Maybe things will be easier if they just get some distance from each other.

 

When he comes home, his flat doesn’t even feel like his home anymore. It’s strange since a couple of months ago thought the same about Liam’s flat.

 

How it didn’t feel like someone was even living there.

 

But Liam’s flat is not the same anymore, just like Liam’s not the same. Or maybe he was the same person before, only he wouldn't show that side to Louis or anyone else.

 

– – –

 

Liam starts sending him texts, not even an hour after Louis left his place.

 

At first it’s things that are easy to answer, stuff like ‘ _ths new shoow is awesome!!!_ ’. It makes him smile more than anything.

 

He’s in bed already when he gets one that reads ‘my bed is empty without you’. Louis almost feels ill, just looking at it. After that one, he gets a bunch of other, equally as horrible texts.

 

Louis doesn’t sleep much and he can’t even blame his lumpy bed for it.

 

– – –

 

When Louis walks into Liam’s flat, he finds Liam bundled up on the sofa in a pair of joggers and a soft looking sweater. Liam has done his own tea and has managed to somehow take it to the living room.

 

It’s not that Liam could take it with him, even with the crutches, that surprises Louis. He’s probably staring too much at the cup of tea like it’s done something wrong, but he can’t stop.

 

Liam hasn’t done his own tea since Louis all but moved in there.

 

“You know I could have done that for you,” Louis says, nodding towards the tea when Liam looks confused.

 

“Oh,” Liam mumbles, “Well, I thought that I could do it myself for once. I’m getting better, so I should be able to do my own tea.”

 

“It is my job to give you tea,” Louis says, not sure if they’re about to have a fight about tea of all things. “Let me do your bloody tea, for fuck’s sake.”

 

It seems like they are if Liam’s frown is anything to go on.

 

“You keep saying that,” Liam mutters.”I don’t want you to make my tea because you’re my PA.”

 

“But it is my job,” Louis stresses, feeling frustrated more than anything. “What do you even want me to say?”

 

“I wouldn’t mind if for you once would call yourself my friend,” Liam says, visibly deflating.

 

Louis stops moving, not even having realised that he was pacing back and forth. “You seriously think that I would sleep in your bed for more than a month, if I didn’t see you as my friend?”

 

“Oh,” Liam breathes out, smiling. He’s staring wide-eyed at Louis and he doesn’t seem to know what he should say.

 

“Yeah,” Louis says. “You think you can let me do your tea then? As a friend that does work for you, I mean?”

 

“Well,” Liam mumbles, blushing. “I was about to fall over, when I did it myself. So it’s probably for the best.”

 

“Probably,” Louis agrees.

 

“You should come here,” Liam decides, patting the sofa next to himself. “You’ll have to entertain me now. You did leave me.”

 

“I’ll have to make my own tea. Since you didn’t do any for me. Or maybe I should take your tea, that seems fair,” Louis says, teasingly.

 

“You’re horrible,” Liam laughs, doing that failed wink Louis has become very fond of. Since Liam does it almost every time he’s joking about anything, Louis gets to see it more and more often.

 

“Your tea is horrible,” Louis counters.

 

When he’s made himself a cup, he allows himself to cuddle up close to Liam on the sofa, having been good and stayed away from his bed.

 

If only for one night.

 

Louis wonders if Liam realises how close together they sit. If it is because of how he’s never had a real friend before Louis – and Zayn – became a part of his life, or if he maybe wants something from Louis, too.

 

Louis is not sure if things would be better or worse if Liam does want the same as he does.

 

There’s no way he can go home that night like he had planned to. Not when Liam’s smiling properly at him again.

 

– – –

 

Liam’s going through rehab, to make sure his leg works properly. It’s painful and he’s often tired and cranky when he gets home.

 

Louis can’t leave him like that, so he spends his night trying to make Liam feel better. One time when Liam’s particularly grouchy, Louis has had enough.

 

He just wants Liam to smile and giggle, like he should be doing.

 

“Yeah, I think we’re going to do something about this,” Louis mumbles, more to himself than anything.

 

“What?” Liam asks.

 

“Oh, nothing,” Louis says, grinning to himself. He’s got an idea.

 

When Liam looks down at his phone again, Louis pushes his fingers into the soft fabric of Liam’s t-shirt, moving them around until he finds that Liam’s most ticklish below his ribs.

 

“Oh, no. Stop. Please, stop,” Liam laughs, pushing at Louis. He’s giggling too much, squirming to be able to get away from Louis’ fingers digging into his sides.

 

When Louis thinks Liam’s had enough, tears rolling freely down his startling pink cheeks, he stops. “Feel better?” Louis asks.

 

“I feel like I’m going to pee myself, still,” Liam says, sounding breathless.

 

“Not thinking about the pain then?”

 

Liam shakes his head, looking surprised. “No, that’s amazing,” he mumbles. “You’re _amazing_.”

 

“I’m alright,” Louis says, feeling so fond he’s got to do something. He grabs onto Liam’s nipple, twisting quickly.

 

“Ouch,” says Liam as he takes Louis’ hand in his own, threading their fingers together. “I’ve changed my mind. You’re awful.”

 

Louis shrugs, not feeling offended at all. How could he when Liam’s smiling like that at him. Tracing small circles on the back of Liam’s hand, he ignores how much he wants to kiss Liam.

 

– – –

 

Liam’s mum comes to visit at least once a week, making Louis miss his own mum terribly.

 

Liam’s getting himself ready for an interview, which means it’s just him and Karen in the kitchen. She’s making them dinner and is telling him stories about Liam’s childhood at the same time.

 

“I think you’ve been good for him, though. He’s behaving like he used to, when he was a kid. Haven't seen him so happy in forever,” Karen says, in the middle of telling a story of Liam’s first performance. She gives him one look, one he doesn’t want to think about what it means, and adds, “If you say, it’s my job… You’ll have to do the dishes. By hand.”

 

“But it is my job,” Louis says.

 

“As much as I’d like to believe you, Louis,” says Karen. “I don’t even think you believe yourself.”

 

“Well, I don’t know,” Louis says, feeling himself starting to break.

 

Liam saves him, when he walks into the room. Without knowing that Louis probably was about to confess his love to him, to Liam’s mum of all people.

 

Liam’s looking so fit, Louis can’t stop himself from staring at Liam. The black leather jacket and those jeans make Louis want to get to his knees, do things he probably shouldn’t even think about doing when Liam’s mum is right there.

 

When he looks at Karen – his cheeks warm – she’s smiling, looking like she’s figured it all out.

 

“Is this okay?” Liam asks, tugging at the jacket. “Zayn sent it to me and I quite like it.”

 

“Zayn’s never wrong,” Louis says slowly. “It does look good.”

 

“You look lovely, Liam,” Karen agrees. “But you should go change before you eat. Can’t have you making a mess of those clothes.”

 

“It’s not like you think,” Louis blurts out, as soon as Liam’s gone back to his room.

 

“I wouldn’t be upset.” Karen smiles softly. “You’ve made my boy happy, so why would I?”

 

“I work for him and I’ve signed a contract,” says Louis, wondering if he could get away with hiding in Liam’s room until Karen’s gone. Not that he doesn’t like her, it’s just that she sees right through him.

 

It’s a bit worrying. Soon, she’ll figure out exactly how much Louis likes Liam.

 

Karen pulls him into a hug. She’s warm and she smells just like his own mum; like food and flowers. “I won’t bother you about it. He wouldn’t care about a thing like that, though.”

 

– – –

 

Liam’s away for the weekend and Louis is still staying at his flat, sleeping in his bed. Maybe he should stop paying rent for his own, since he’s barely ever there.

 

He probably shouldn’t mention that to Liam, he would probably make sure that Louis never leaves. Maybe even cancel his lease for him.

 

Not that Louis is sure that would be a bad thing.

 

“Not that I don’t love how great you and Liam get along,” Zayn says, as he hugs Louis hello. “It’s just that I never see you anymore.”

 

“You saw me yesterday,” Louis laughs, shaking his head. “Or was that another Zayn, who was here and watching movies with Liam.”

 

“You know what I mean.” Zayn nods towards where Louis’ shoes – all of his shoes – are lying in a mess all over the floor. “You’ve basically moved in here. Spend all your time with Liam.”

 

“Well, you spend a lot of time with Niall,” Louis says, mostly because of how much he likes when Zayn gets blushy and smiley when he mentions him.

 

It’s dead cute.

 

“Yes, and I’m dating him,” Zayn points out.

 

Louis realises he walked right into that one. He shrugs and goes to find the beer in Liam’s fridge. The one he knows Liam bought just for him.

 

– – –

 

Louis might be a little bit overprotective of Liam, but he does his best to rein in it. He knows that Liam can protect himself, but Louis still wants to keep him in a bubble.

 

Safe from both cars and people who have hurt him before.

 

“You want to stay in tonight, or go out and do something fun?” Louis asks as he sits down next to Liam on the sofa.

 

Liam’s been working out, and he’s sweaty and pink all over. Louis tries to not think about that he’s not wearing a shirt. Nothing good can come from that.

 

“We could do something,” Liam says, trying to pull Louis closer to him. His hands insistent and his pout growing when Louis doesn’t do what he wants him to.

 

Louis resists, not that Liam isn't lovely to look at. He can’t be any closer to him, when he keeps thinking about other ways to get Liam to look like that. Sweaty and flushed, but underneath Louis instead of next to him.

 

“You _stink_ ,” Louis huffs, and it isn’t a lie. It’s not the reason he can’t be close to Liam, though. “Go shower. Can’t have you put your smell all over this wonderful sofa.”

 

– – –

 

They are both drunk, having had a couple of drinks each at the club they were at. Unsteady on their feet, they keep falling into each other as they stumble their way home.

 

 _Home_. Louis mind goes blank when he realises that he called Liam’s flat his home. Luckily not out loud, just in his head, but anyway.

 

Liam doesn’t seem to notice how Louis stops listening to his ranting, he keeps mumbling on about how amazing the night has been. “I just love this,” Liam says, coming to a sudden stop in the middle of a step. He sways slightly as he grins at Louis.

 

“This?” Louis asks, still distracted.

 

“How fun you make me.” Liam smiles, eyes almost squeezing shut. Something warm floods Louis’ stomach, and he’s pretty sure it’s not the booze that’s making him feel like he’s about to be sick on the sidewalk.

 

“You don’t need _me_ to be fun,” Louis protest, even though his stomach feels weirdly warm and bubbly. He wants Liam to need him, in whatever way he can get.

 

“Yeah, I do,” mumbles Liam as he drags Louis into a hug, wrapping his arms tight around Louis.

 

Louis lets himself lean into Liam, resting his face against the skin on Liam’s neck, still flushed and warm after him dancing for hours at that last club. His stubble is probably rubbing against Liam’s skin, and Louis thinks he can feel Liam shiver and press closer to him.

 

As they pull apart, Liam is staring at his lips, pulling at his own bottom lip with his teeth.

 

Louis tries to laugh it off, but he stops abruptly when Liam pushes forward again and presses his lips against Louis’. It’s not a particularly good kiss; it’s too rushed, with their teeth clacking together hard.

 

It’s still Liam kissing him, something Louis never thought he would be allowed to have. Liam pulls away, mumbling something softly against his lips. Louis wants to ask what he’s on about but then Liam laughs and kisses him again. This time it’s better. So much better, with Liam’s lips warm and steady against his.

 

Liam’s hands are cradling Louis’ cheeks as his kisses get more intense, each one deeper than the one before. Louis moans loudly, when Liam sucks on his bottom lip, gently nipping at it with his teeth before pressing a soothing kiss on Louis’ swollen lip.

 

He feels so good, like he’s about to melt, but the sound of his own moan makes him startle and pull away from Liam. It can’t happen, he must remember that. Louis is not allowed to have Liam.

 

No matter how pretty Liam’s lips are, puffy and pink from kissing.

 

“Wait,” says Louis, when Liam tries to kiss him again, pushing forward with a small sound. “We can’t do this.”

 

Lian looks confused, wrinkling his forehead together as he stares at Louis. “But, why?”

 

“It’s not a good idea.” Louis takes one step back, thankful that Liam does let him go. It’s easier to think about why they can’t do it if Liam’s not touching him.

 

“It is,” Liam insists, looking like he’s about to list all the reasons it’s a good idea.

 

“No, it isn’t.” Louis tries to keep his voice quiet. They were stupid to kiss openly in the middle of a street, even in the middle of the night, but Louis hadn’t been thinking then. Now he feels much more sober, and there’s a big red blinking stop light going off in his head. “I’m working for you.”

 

“That doesn’t matter,” Liam says stubbornly. “I don’t care.”

 

“My contract says I can’t have any sort of relationship with you, I would be out of my job if anyone found out,” Louis explains, not feeling any better once he’s said it. It just feels final, like it’s the end of something that never even started for real.

 

“Oh,” Liam mumbles, looking sad. “Just tell me you want to. I need to hear it.”

 

Louis shrugs, trying to avoid looking at Liam. “It won’t make it any better.”

 

Both of them stay quiet the rest of the way home. Not looking at each other even as they get into the same bed. Louis knows he’s making things worse for himself, by doing so. He could have slept on the couch, just one night. He doesn’t want to, so he ignores the little sense he has.

 

– – –

 

Liam is not in bed when Louis wakes up and the other side of the bed doesn't even look like it's been slept in; sheets properly tucked in. Louis wonders how long Liam has been up, and if it’s going to be like that from now on. That they’ll avoid each other.

 

Louis will miss Liam’s sleepy smiles when he stretches out like a cat if that’s the case. Louis will miss a lot of things.

 

Louis takes his time making himself ready. Since the warm water doesn’t run out after like five minutes, Liam’s shower really is nothing like the one he’s used to. Still, he rarely – or ever – spends such a long time in the shower; there has been too many things to take care of while Liam’s been injured. Today, he’s all wrinkly when he gets out.

 

Every extra minute in the shower is only a way to avoid the awkwardness between him and Liam. Trying to push the fallout he knows will happen away, just a little bit longer.

 

As he gets into the kitchen, he comes to a sudden halt. There’s breakfast on the table, with things Louis is pretty certain weren’t in Liam’s fridge last night. He would have known since he uses it as his own.

 

Liam smiles carefully. “Good morning.”

 

“What is this?” Louis asks, which might not be the most grateful thing to say when someone has made you breakfast. He’s too confused to be anything but blunt.

 

“Breakfast?” Liam doesn’t seem offended, and there’s a teasing note to his voice.

 

“I know _that_.” Louis’ stomach rumbles when he notices that there are fresh bread and his favourite kind of jam. Louis is pretty sure he’s never told Liam about that and he sounds just as confused as he feels when he asks, “Did you ask Niall about what kind of breakie I like?”

 

“Yeah, and I made you tea,” says Liam, at the same time as Louis sits down on by the table. He would be stupid to say no to food, even if he’s not sure why Liam’s made it.

 

“You’re amazing,” Louis says, sounding so fond he wants to hit himself in the face. He’s got to stop letting his mushy feelings out.

 

“I think I was the one to call you amazing.” Liam tries to laugh and there’s a hint of a blush on his cheeks. Louis thinks he’s trying to make it come out as a joke, but he looks nervous and fidgety as he gazes at Louis.

 

It’s not a joke.

 

Louis spends too much time putting jam on his bread and making rolls of pieces of cheese, just to have something to do instead of looking at Liam’s face. Once he’s done, and Liam just sits there watching him, he asks, “So we are not ignoring this mess then?”

 

Liam shakes his head, plucking one of the cheese rolls of from Louis’ plate. “Niall told me not to let you.” Liam laughs suddenly and he makes air quotes as he adds, “Tell him to get his head out of his arse.”

 

“Just because he’s dating Zayn, he thinks everyone should be in love,” Louis mutters, remembering when Niall still thought being single was the best thing in the world.

 

“I won’t give up, you know.”

 

“Well, I’m not either,” Louis says stubbornly. He tries to ignore how warm and fluttery his stomach feels. His body is not on board with his idea that he should say no to Liam.

 

The fact that Liam wants something from him, it’s scary as hell – with everything that could go wrong, not just the fact that he could lose his job, but also a friend if things go wrong. He’s never even dated someone he liked very much, and he loves spending his days with Liam.

 

It’s nice, too. If he allows himself to think about it.

 

“Nobody has to know,” Liam says, apparently forgetting that part about who he is and that he’s about to drop yet another album. Nothing he does can be a secret for a very long time.

 

“If we forget the part where you’re _famous_ , Liam. I don’t want to be anyone’s secret.” Louis almost jumps up from his chair, as Liam’s foot rubs against his bare ankle. He shivers, cursing himself – in his head, it would be weird otherwise – for not wearing socks.

 

He keeps his leg where it is, taking another bite of toast. He chews slowly, wondering if he maybe should move his leg after all. Even if it’s terribly nice, having Liam’s skin pressed against his own.

 

It’s probably too late anyway, if Liam’s smile is anything to go by.

 

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Liam insists, pushing his bottom lip out into a pout.

 

“I know you didn’t,” Louis says softly. “But it would be easier if you just found someone else, you’re like London’s number one bachelor.” Louis is ashamed that he read that article, and looking back he can’t believe he didn’t realise that he was interested in Liam. He spent so much time looking up information about Liam’s love life.

 

He’s not sure how he would react if Liam really found someone else. Not great, probably.

 

“I don’t want anybody else,” Liam rushes to say. “How could I, when you’re here? You’re always here, with your arms and everything. Fuck, I couldn’t believe it, that first time when you walked into my office. I wanted to push you against a wall and kiss you.”

 

Louis is at loss for words, probably for the first time in his life

 

When it’s been silent for too long, Liam starts to look nervous and his foot shuffles back from where it was resting against Louis’ skin. “Say something.”

 

“I never thought,” says Louis, sounding distracted. He can’t remember what he wore, but it might have been one of his loose fitting tank tops. “You wanted to kiss me? All this time?”

 

“Well, when you didn’t drive me crazy I did think an awful lot about kissing you,” Liam admits, blushing.

 

“Fuck,” Louis mumbles.

 

Liam shrugs, looking sheepish. “I didn’t think you would want me, though. You’re so special, and I’m not."

 

“Ugh, you’re so stupid.” Louis takes one small piece of bread and lobs it at Liam’s head. He’s off when it comes to his aim, because it lands on the floor behind him. “Bloody hell, you're special. I’ve told you this before and I wasn’t even in love with you then.”

 

“What?” Liam asks, his eyes wide and shocked as he stares at Louis.

 

“What?” Louis repeats, wondering what he’s said to make Liam look like that. He must have heard he’s special before, he’s a bloody pop star for fuck’s sake. As he realises what else he just said, he puts his face in his hands, swearing loudly. “Fucking fuck, I didn’t mean that.”

 

“You’re not in love with me?” Liam asks, sounding disappointed. Louis can almost hear the pout in his voice.

 

Louis refuses to take his hands from his face. He can’t look at Liam right now. “I didn’t mean to say that.”

 

“Niall said you were a bit stupid, but I didn’t think he was right.” Liam’s chair makes scratching noises on the floor as he gets up hastily. “I had this plan, you know,” Liam tells him, as he takes one of Louis’ hands gently and moves it from his face. He holds onto it, his grip a little bit too tight, as he adds, “I was going to woo you, even asked Harry for advice. Well, Niall and Zayn too.”

 

Louis lets out a hysterical sounding laugh, when Liam says the word ‘woo’. It’s bloody weird, that someone like Liam – talented, sweet and so, so fit – wants to date him so badly he would do such a thing.

 

Liam looks confused, and Louis finds him adorable when he does that face. He sighs, and makes a decision he’s not sure whether he’s going to regret later or not. “You’re not going to give up, are you?”

 

“No,” says Liam, his hand no longer clutching Louis’ so hard it almost hurt. He’s not letting go of him, though. “You better prepare yourself for breakfast in bed and presents. Oh, maybe even chocolate and flowers.”

 

Louis stares at the table, especially at the strawberries Liam somehow managed to find them. “Is _this_ you wooing me?”

 

“Might be, yeah,” Liam admits, blushing even harder.

 

Louis wants to say yes, is the thing. He wants to say yes so badly it almost hurts thinking about not doing it it. If he said yes, he would be able to kiss Liam _good morning_ like he has wanted to so many times.

 

“Fine,” he sighs, done denying himself what he really wants.

 

“Really?” Liam asks, smiling so big his eyes crinkle in the corners.

 

As Louis nods, Liam drops down into his lap, still smiling ridiculously big. Liam’s heavy, warm against his thighs and he lets out a small, pleased noise as Louis places one soft kiss on his lips.

 

– – –

 

Liam insisted they should go out even if Louis had been more than happy to watch another movie with Liam, only this time with more kissing.

 

Their first real date doesn’t start out the best way. They’re late – but that’s Liam’s fault since he wouldn’t stop kissing him – and the food at the posh place Liam picked isn’t what Louis would call great.

 

It’s fancy and expensive for sure, but the portions are smaller than anything he would have fed his sisters when they were five. Not that it matters because it tastes strange, too.

 

“You don’t like it?” Liam asks, looking exceptionally good in his suit. It’s the black one Louis remembers him getting that first time he met Zayn.

 

It’s a really good look on Liam, so it’s not hard for him to place.

 

“Not my kind of thing,” Louis admits, frowning as he gets something that looks like seaweed on his fork.

 

“We could go somewhere else,” Liam suggest, already waving the waiter to their table.

 

– – –

 

They end up going to the Nando’s, and with both of them wearing suits they don’t exactly fit in. It’s so much better, both the food and the way Liam’s not looking stiff and nervous anymore.

 

Louis thinks that someone takes photos with their mobile of him and Liam, but they’re not doing anything suspicious that can get back to Simon. It’s not like they’re holding hands, even if Liam’s thumb keeps brushing against his hand.

 

Louis thinks it’s on purpose, from the way Liam’s eyes shines every time Louis has to stop himself from reaching out to take Liam’s hand.

 

“Well, at least I’m not hungry anymore,” says Louis, wiping away a few crumbs from his suit. It might not have been the best idea to wear that one – it’s probably worth more than what he’s paid in a month – but Liam had insisted.

 

“No, this was great,” Liam says, looking around himself once before he lays his hand on top of Louis’.

 

“Please, never take me to that awful place again,” Louis teases, flexing his fingers underneath Liam’s hand.

 

“So, you’ll go out with me again?,” Liam asks, sounding pleased.

 

Louis rolls his eyes, laughing a bit too loud.

 

– – –

 

They’re kissing even before they get in through the door, and Louis has a hard time focusing on walking as Liam’s lips are on his. The sofa seems like a good enough place to push Liam down on and he quickly climbs into Liam’s lap, starting to bites kisses down his neck.

 

He has one fleeting thought about whether it’s a good idea to leave marks on Liam’s skin, but the breathy moans Liam keeps letting out as he sucks another one into his skin makes him forget about it as quickly.

 

Louis’ hands are shaking as he tries to get the buttons on Liam’s shirt open, and Liam’s not any help, he just giggles as his own hands get in the way. Louis manages after a couple of tries, laughing as he puts his mouth on Liam’s chest.

 

“Fuck,” mumbles Liam, threading his fingers through Louis’ hair.

 

Louis rubs his tongue flat over one of Liam’s nipples, feeling him shudder and hold on harder to his hair. He grins, doing the same to the other. Since Liam keeps shifting underneath him, he starts sucking on one nipple, pulling at it carefully with his teeth. Just to see how Liam reacts. If he likes it.

 

“Oh god.” Liam pulls at Louis’ hair so hard it almost hurts. It feels good, though, so Louis moans and gives the same attention to Liam’s other nipple.

 

Once he’s pleased with how desperate Liam sounds, he pulls away to admire his work. He finds Liam staring at him, his eyes dark and his skin flushed. Liam’s nipples are pink and swollen from his lips and teeth, and Louis can’t stop staring at him.

 

“Please,” Liam begs, his eyes fixated on Louis’ lips

 

“I’m going to take care of you,” Louis says, pushing forward to suck Liam’s bottom lip in between his lips, needing to make his mouth look as messy as the rest of him does.

 

He gets a bit distracted by kissing Liam, almost forgetting about how he wanted to suck Liam off. Liam’s hard underneath him, though, and keeps pushing his hips up against Louis, so he pulls away even though he could spend the rest of the night kissing Liam.

 

“No,” mumbles Liam, trying to pull him back in.

 

Louis just shakes his head and gives Liam a sharp grin before he slides down to the floor. Liam’s staring at him, quickly pushing his hands back into his hair. It feels good, so Louis doesn’t complain.

 

Maybe he can talk Liam into letting his hair grow out, something for Louis to hold onto. Liam was fucking adorable in those curls, so he can’t imagine what Liam would look like with them now.

 

Liam tries to keep still as Louis sucks him off, slowly working his lips down further on Liam’s cock. Every time Louis licks away another bead of precome, sucking on only the tip as he wanks Liam off, Liam groans and pulls on his hair.

 

Liam keeps mumbling nonsense above him, petting his cheek with one hand as he lets go of Louis’ hair for a short moment. Louis can tell he’s close, his hips are starting to move without rhythm and his moans break off into high whines.

 

“Oh, fuck,” Liam groans. “I’m going to come.”

 

Louis tries to grin around the cock in his mouth, pulling off so far that he’s only got the tip in his mouth, Liam’s cock jumping hard in his hand before he comes with a shaky moan. Louis works him through his orgasm, swallowing over and over until Liam pushes at his head.

 

Liam looks dazed, but as Louis smiles at him, he pulls at Louis until he climbs back up in Liam’s lap.

 

He’s almost forgotten about his own cock, straining against the tight fit of his trousers, until Liam sucks on his tongue, moaning as he tastes himself in Louis’ mouth. Louis needs to come, he doesn’t care how, but if Liam doesn’t stop kissing him so dirty he’ll come in his pants. He rather not do that.

 

“I need to get off,” he says, as he drags himself away from Liam’s mouth. “Can’t get come one your lovely sofa, so we should move this to the bed.”

 

Liam nods eagerly, trying and failing to stand since Louis is still firmly planted in his lap. When he realises why he can’t move, he laughs and pushes at Louis. “You could fuck me if you want to?”

 

“If I want to?” Louis asks, baffled. “You sure you want to, though? I’m happy just to wank myself off, mess you up a little bit.”

 

“Not that _that_ doesn’t seem tempting,” Liam murmurs as he skims his fingers over the bulge in Louis’ trousers, making him groan and try to press himself against Liam’s hand. Instead, Liam

pushes him off his lap – luckily to the side, which means he lands on the soft cushions instead of on the floor. “But I really want your cock in me.”

 

Louis pushes the flat of his hand against his cock, needing some sort of relief.

 

“I thought you said something about my bedroom,” Liam teases as he stands up. His trousers and shirt are open, and Louis can see pinkish marks from his mouth and teeth. It only makes him feel even more desperate to come. It doesn’t get better when Liam shrugs and takes off the rest of his clothes.

 

“You coming or not?” Liam asks, grinning.

 

Liam makes quick work of taking off his clothes as they get into the bedroom, but he takes his time to trace the tattoos spread all over Louis’ skin. When Louis moans and shivers, he follows his fingers with his mouth.

 

Liam’s tongue on him makes him forget about breathing for a short moment, he feels like he’s not able to think of anything but how good it feels. He wonders if he could come like this, without anybody even touching his cock once.

 

Louis figures they could try that another time, and then see if Liam would be able to as well.

 

“Stop it.” He pushes at Liam’s chest until he takes one step back. “This won’t get my cock into your arse,” he says, grinning when he hears the small sound Liam makes.

 

Liam is bigger than him, but he goes easily when Louis pushes him into the bed. Quickly reaching out to drag Louis down too.

 

It's a mess of limbs, Liam huffing out a breath as Louis accidentally gets an elbow in his stomach.

 

"Sorry, sorry," he laughs, as he lies down on his side next to Liam. He kisses the skin below Liam's collarbone in apology. Or maybe just because he wants to.

 

"It's okay," says Liam, skimming his fingertips down Louis' stomach. He makes a small sound, and his eyes follow his hand down to Louis' dick. As he wraps his longer fingers around him, he hums softly.

 

Louis pushes his hips into Liam's hand, moaning into Liam's shoulder as his cock jumps and dribbles wetly onto Liam's hand. He's too close, on the edge from having Liam in his mouth, so he pinches Liam to get his attention. "Where do you have the lube and the condoms?"

 

Liam mumbles something sounding like a swear word, rubbing at the new reddish mark on his chest. His cheeks look pinker, as he answers, "Underneath the pillow."

 

"You've had lube underneath your pillow the entire time I've slept in your bed?" Louis asks, wondering how he could have missed that. He hadn't even dared to think about getting off anywhere that wasn't the shower.

 

He also tried to not think about Liam ever touching himself.

 

That would have made things awkward, with him staring at Liam, imagining things even more than he already did.

 

"No, I just thought that we could need it tonight," Liam admits. "At least I hoped you would want to do something."

 

"I think we have established that I'm not stupid." He does find the lube and a strip of condoms underneath Liam's pillow. He takes a moment just to look at Liam; his skin flushed pink, and his cock starting to swell again. "Turn over for me, love," he adds, slicking two of his fingers with lube, rubbing them together to warm them up.

 

Liam rolls over until he lies on his stomach, resting his lower arms on the bed. He's starting show that restless energy again, shifting his hips against the bed, moaning as his cock presses against the cool sheets.

 

Louis can't wait to get to take Liam apart, to make him come on his cock.

 

“Get on with it then,” Liam says, when Louis has been staring for too long, distracted by the muscles in Liam’s back and the tiny swell of his arse.

 

He takes his time, stretching Liam open with one with one finger first, pushing into Liam until his whines get higher and needier again. Adding a bit more lube, he wedges another finger alongside the first one, not able to look away from where his fingers disappear into Liam.

 

“I thought you wanted to come,” Liam breaks off into a moan and arches his back as Louis finds his prostate.

 

“I’m going to,” Louis grins as he makes sure to fuck his fingers in with the same angle as the one that made Liam make those sounds. “I want to make you come too.”

 

“Don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” Liam mumbles, riding his arse against the fingers Louis has shoved deep in him.

 

“Just a little bit more,” murmurs Louis.

 

When he’s pleased with the way Liam feels around his fingers, relaxed and hot, he fumbles with the condom. His fingers are so slippery he drops it, and then another time. As Liam starts to giggle, he says, “You do it yourself if it’s so easy.”

 

Liam pushes himself with shaking arms, plucking the condom from Louis’ hand. ”I think I could do it better than that.”

 

Louis thinks about protesting. Then Liam laughs, having managed to do what Louis couldn’t, and starts putting it on him. Louis can’t think of anything to say when Liam’s hand is on him; his touch curious and slow. Liam seems keen on figuring out all the way he can get Louis to react just by having his fingers on Louis’ cock, tracing gently or pulling fast and rough.

 

“I thought you were in a hurry to get some dick,” Louis says, when he feels like he’s going to come any second. “That won’t happen if you keep that up.”

 

“I want to ride you,” Liam decides, grinning when Louis just groans and drops back on the bed.

 

It’s amazing, getting to watch Liam as he sinks down on his cock, working his hips down a little before rising up again. If feels amazing, and Louis has to try his hardest to let Liam take his time; his hips twitching with need to fuck Liam, hard and fast.

 

“Fuck,” Liam mumbles as he sits firmly on Louis’ lap, his cock all the way inside Liam. His skin is shiny with sweat and his hair a mess, the best part is how he smiles all soft and fond, though.

 

“You feel so good,” Louis groans, hands coming up to grip Liam’s thighs, digging into the soft flesh, as Liam starts to ride him properly. Planting his feet firmly on the bed, he fucks his hips up into Liam, making him moan and bounce.

 

Louis knows he won’t last long as he grinds down harder and harder on his cock. How could he when Liam’s arse clutches tight and hot around him? Louis moves one hand from Liam’s thigh, trying to time his thrusts up into Liam with his hand on his cock. It doesn’t work all that well since his brain won’t quite work, but Liam moans and freezes on top of him.

 

“Oh god,” Liam groans, his body trembling as he comes in wet, warm stripes on Louis’ stomach and chest.

 

Louis shudders, feeling Liam’s arse tighten further around him. He pulls Liam down until he can kiss him, or at least pant into his mouth as he grinds into Liam, his body slack and shivering on top of him.

 

It doesn’t take long before he comes. There’s a sudden sharp, thrill rushing up his spine, as he presses in deep one last time, letting Liam kiss the noises right out of his mouth.

 

Louis’ legs feel shaky and he knows the muscles in his thighs will be sore tomorrow. He still gets up from the bed to get them a flannel. He pats Liam’s bum gently as he just stays where his is, not a care in the world that he’s sticky with come and lube. He would probably go right to sleep if Louis didn’t take care of him.

 

“You good?” Louis asks, when Liam’s cuddled up next to him in bed, breathing slowly against his skin.

 

Liam mumbles something against his neck, but it’s more vibrations against his skin than actual words. When Louis pokes at cheek, he lifts his head and smiles softly. “I’m good,” he says, sounding both tired and happy.

 

The one thing that’s different from when they usually are sharing a bed – except for them being naked – is that Louis doesn’t have to hold himself back from kissing Liam when he looks so good Louis’ chest almost hurts.

 

– – –

 

Louis wakes up curled around Liam, which happens every now and then, but he’s not wearing any clothes, and that’s both new and good. There are things he should be doing, neither he nor Liam have time to spend the whole day in bed, but he burrows down a little bit closer to Liam and closes his eyes.

 

His phone keeps buzzing with messages, though, so he pulls himself away from Liam, grumbling under his breath the whole time.

 

 _‘About fuuucking time, you moron!’_ , is one of the many texts he finds unread on his phone. All from Niall, except for one that’s a bit nicer, ‘ _Congrats, mate. You better take care of him properly now...’_

 

Louis chuckles and writes a quick reply to them both – not that it’s needed since Niall’s probably in Zayn’s flat anyway – and cuddles up next to Liam again.

 

“You should stop moving around so much,” Liam grumbles as he pushes his face into Louis’ neck.

 

“Did you tell Zayn about us already?” Louis asks. There was no time telling Niall yesterday. It was all Liam’s fault, of course; he will have to make sure to tell Niall that.

 

Maybe he should leave out the part about how he couldn’t stop himself from kissing Liam. Not even to do the work he was supposed to do.

 

“You said you didn’t want it to be a secret.”

 

Louis doesn’t want it to be a secret, which might cause him problems. “No, but Niall will laugh at us forever, taking this long to get together.”

 

“I think he was already laughing at us,” Liam says, his voice muffled since he’s kissing Louis’ neck. Just one soft touch of his lips before he presses one a little bit higher up.

 

“Probably,” Louis says, tilting his head back to give Liam better access. It’s awfully nice, both Liam’s hand tracing small circles on his stomach and Liam’s lips on his neck is making his skin tingle and get warm.

 

“We should invite them over,” Liam says, when Louis most of all wants him to go back to focusing on him. Just him.

 

“Less talk about people who're not in this bed,” Louis decides, pulling at Liam until he catches on and kisses him properly on the mouth.

 

– – –

 

They are horribly late when they get out of bed. Louis was right about his whole body feeling like he’s run a mile, and then some.

 

Liam is puttering around in the kitchen, moving things from one place to another. For no reason at all. He’s been in there the whole time Louis has been working at the kitchen table, so Louis has a feeling Liam’s there because he is.

 

“So, I was thinking,” Liam says, as he puts a steaming hot cup of tea in front of him.

 

“Never a good thing,” Louis answers, teasingly.

 

Liam takes his tea away, holding it at a safe distance from Louis. “If you’re mean you won’t get any tea,” he says. Which might be the meanest thing Liam could say right now, Louis needs it like he needs air. Liam’s luckily very bad at keeping a straight face, so Louis knows he doesn’t mean it.

 

“Do you remember when you said I was mean but pretty?” Louis asks, thinking about whether or not it’s a good idea to tickle Liam when he’s holding Louis’ tea in his hands. It’s probably one of his worst ideas in a long time, so he just makes grabby hands at him instead.

 

“What? No, I haven't,” Liam splutters, looking confused.

 

“Yeah, you did,” Louis laughs, when thinking back how stupid they both have been, not realising that they were both pining for each other. “When you were drunk, that time we were at that karaoke bar with Harry.”

 

“Oh.” Liam shrugs, and puts the cup on the table right in front of Louis. “Well, you’re very pretty so I was right about one thing at least.”

 

“What were you thinking about, by the way?”

 

“That you should cancel the lease on your flat,” Liam says. “You live here anyway.”

 

It’s not like Louis hasn’t been thinking about it, but it feels rather fast. They’ve only been dating for a little more than one day. “I don’t live here.”

 

“Your mum sends your post to this address and all your things are here,” Liam points out.

 

Louis did call Liam’s flat his home – if only in his head – the other day, so maybe it’s the right thing to do. It would save him a lot of money, not paying for that dump.

 

Liam might be spoiling him a bit, with his soft bed and nice shower.

 

“If you let me pay next time we go out,” Louis says, when he can’t think of a good reason to say no.

 

“I’ll let you pay next time we go to Nando’s.” Liam probably thinks he’s funny since his eyes are almost twinkling, but Louis will pay next time they go to Nando’s. Even if he has to fight Liam about it, which he’s certain he will have to do.

 

Louis looks at his computer, not having to think for a long time before he shuts it down. He might not be the best PA anyway since he spends his time with Liam doing non-work related things more often than not.

 

– – –

 

Liam’s a way better host than Louis is, which he maybe should do something about since he lives there now. Properly.

 

“I knew you two would happen,” Harry says, taking the beer bottle Liam’s offering him. He’s slouched back on the sofa, his see through shirt unbuttoned almost all the way down to his navel. Looking more like a real pop star than Liam in his soft, grey joggers.

 

Zayn rolls his eyes, poking at Harry with his toe – since he’s got one arm around Niall’s shoulders and the other on his thigh. “Everyone knew this would happen.”

 

“Everyone but Liam and Louis knew,” Niall says, laughing when Louis starts to protest. “You didn’t think he wanted you, which is a bit stupid when you think about it. He’s been gazing at you with hearts in his eyes forever. Disgustingly cute, made me want to puke rainbows.”

 

“Ugh, I hate you,” Louis says, happy that Liam drops down next to him on the sofa, having decided to give up on serving everybody whatever they want. It’s a tight fit, and he’s halfway in Louis’ lap.

 

Not that Louis is complaining.

 

Liam’s fingers splays wide on the back of his neck, curling into his hair, as he leans in even closer to him.

 

“You don’t.” Niall sounds sure, waving him off – as he should, since he’s right – when he gets up from the sofa. He gives Zayn a look, tilting his head towards the kitchen. “You going to help me find something to eat.”

 

He might as well have said ‘lets go get off in their kitchen’. The table is filled with things Niall could eat since Liam went a little wild at the store. Louis groans and points his finger at Niall as he says, “You couldn’t wait until you’re home and can use your own kitchen to get your hand on Zayn’s dick.”

 

“Like you haven’t done it in there,” Niall counters, taking Zayn by the hand and pulling him off the sofa.

 

Zayn just looks fond, like his boyfriend is the cutest ever when he just wants to get to give him an orgasm in the kitchen.

 

“I live here,” Louis says. “That’s the difference. I can get off in there if I want to, but do as you please. As long as I don’t hear or see anything.”

 

“Promise,” Zayn says over his shoulder, laughing as Niall says something in his ear.

 

Harry’s been watching them bicker, laughing at them it feels like. He perks up even more, when he asks, “You’ve moved in here for real now then?”

 

“Well, it turns out I’ve moved in little by little for a while,” Louis says, leaning out of Liam’s grip until he can reach the remote. It’s probably for the best if he turns up the noise on the telly.

 

“It turns out we’re both pretty stupid,” says Liam, sounding way too happy about it.

 

– – –

 

He’s been dating Liam for three weeks and it’s great. Sure, they fight about small things sometimes, like Louis leaving his shoes wherever he pleases. Louis can’t help that his feet don't like to be confined, but he probably should stop leaving his shoes places where Liam trips over them.

 

Luckily, neither of them can stay mad for more than a few minutes, and their fights always ends with either sex or cuddles. Most often both.

 

Louis knows he can’t keep it from Simon forever. There’s talk about Liam not being single anymore all over the internet. The photos of them are blurry though, and nobody seems to have figured out who Louis is.

 

Strangely enough, since he’s been around Liam daily for months.

 

“I think I should quit. For real this time,” Louis says, rolling over on his side so he can see Liam properly. “It might be better, since it’s bound to come out who I am. It’s not like I really want to be a PA anyway, even if it’s better working for you than I ever thought it would be.”

 

“I don’t want you to quit,” Liam mumbles, pouting.

 

Louis almost caves, but he’s made his mind up. “I won’t leave you, I will be here whenever I don’t work.”

 

Liam’s still pouting, but he’s starting to get a stubborn look in his eyes. “You don’t need to work, I could take care of you.”

 

“I’ve had this dream since I was a kid,” Louis admits, taking Liam’s hand. It’s a bit scary, saying it out loud. He’s never done it before. “I think I want to try to start a career in music.”

 

Liam looks confused for a short moment as if he can’t quite wrap his mind around the words coming out of Louis’ mouth. There’s a tiny wrinkle between his eyebrows as he stares at Louis, but then he starts to smile.

 

“That’s amazing,” Liam says, pushing forward to put a hard, fast kiss on his lips. “You’ve got the most amazing voice I’ve heard.”

 

“So you remember that.” Louis blushes, the praise makes him feel warm and happy. “Do you remember that you wanted to make out with my voice?”

 

“Oh god, I did,” Liam groans, hiding his face against Louis’ neck. His skin feels warm, so it’s flushed and pink for sure.

 

“You’re not upset then?” Louis asks, just needing to hear that he’s doing the right thing.”I promise to get you your tea anyway.”

 

“Bloody hell, how could I be?” Liam asks, tilting his head up so he can look at Louis, and Louis was right about his cheeks being a pretty pink. “I’m going to help make you the next big thing.”

 

Louis skims his fingers over Liam’s cheekbone, wanting to feel the blush underneath his fingertips. There’s probably nothing in the world he likes better than Liam when he’s blushing and smiling. “I don’t want to be famous because I’m dating you.”

 

“You’re going to be famous because of you being you, I know it,” says Liam, sounding sure. “But I want to help you, with things like meeting the right people.”

 

“If you tell anyone that my voice is made of angels, I will have Harry help me instead,” Louis teases. He’s grateful that Liam wants to help him, no matter what he says about him.

 

It’s possible Liam will be ridiculously proud of him all the way through the process. Louis would be surprised if he weren’t.

 

Louis is almost asleep, when Liam suddenly says, “We should do something.Together, you know.”

 

“If you let me sleep, I’ll think about it,” Louis mumbles, even though it was him who started the whole thing.

 

– – –

 

Louis is nervous, but Liam seems to be more so than him. He shouldn’t be, Louis never once saw him act like that when his third album came out.

 

It’s a bit different this time.

 

Liam is a part of his first single, both as a co writer and a singer. Mostly, it’s Louis’ voice on the track, but Liam has a few lines. Louis loves how their voices come together.

 

The tabloids have written so many articles about them, how Louis has used Liam to get somewhere. Called him horrible things that mostly made him shrug and roll his eyes, but made Liam so mad he caused a small scandal when insulting a journalist.

 

Liam’s name being involved in the single probably wouldn’t have mattered since they’ve been called the new Posh and Becks. Louis doesn’t get it. Neither of them play soccer, at least not on that level.

 

It might be because how much Liam looks like a young David Beckham.

 

“You should come here,” Louis says, when Liam’s paced back and forth across the room so many times Louis is starting to feel nauseous watching him. “People seem to have liked it. It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t place well on the lists.”

 

Neither of them move as Louis’ phone rings, Simon’s name popping up on the screen. The second time it rings, Louis shoves the phone into Liam’s hand. “You should take it.”

 

“But it’s your song,” Liam says, looking a bit like he’s about to get ill.

 

“Answer _it_ ,” Louis insists, taking the phone from Liam’s hand and quickly swiping his finger on the screen. When he hears Simon’s voice, he drops it in Liam’s lap and sits on his own hands, shaking his head as Liam tries to give it back to him.

 

He gets a sudden urge to go hide underneath his bed.

 

Instead, he watches as Liam talks to Simon. He thinks he hears the words ‘number one’ being said in Simon’s voice, but it’s as Liam hangs up, smiling wide and happy, he first understands.

 

“We did it?” he asks, wanting to jump up and scream. It’s like he’s stuck where he is, though. He can’t make his limbs work.

 

Liam looks proud, but there’s still a nervous edge to him and he stares at his hands. “You did it.”

 

Louis’ heart jumps in his chest, when Liam drops to his knees in front of him on the sofa. “What are you doing?” he asks, his voice shaking as hard as his hands.

 

“I know it’s soon, but you know I love you,” Liam rambles, looking for something underneath the sofa the same time as he’s gazing up at Louis. “You’ve taken such good care of me, and I want to do the same to you. For the rest of our lives.”

 

“Liam,” Louis gets out, stopping when he realises that he doesn’t know what to say.

 

“Will you marry me?” Liam asks, smiling softly. He’s got a small box in his hand, with a golden ring in it.

 

“Bloody hell, Liam,” he says, feeling faint for a moment. There’s not an ounce of doubt in his body, though. He knows what he wants. “Yes, I will fucking marry you. My stupid, stupid boy.”

**Author's Note:**

> (Liam's hit by a car and injuries his leg so severely he needs surgery. It's all very, very inexplicit when it comes to the accident, but it's mentioned (and so are the injuries).)
> 
> [Tumblr post](http://pandadepanda.tumblr.com/post/111887377194/cold-to-the-touch-hot-on-the-inside-misslii)   
> 


End file.
